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OTTAWA (CP) - Statistics Canada says senior women who suffered from psychological or financial stresses in 1994-95 were far more likely to die over the next eight years than those who did not have such problems.
The study found psychological distress - which includes frequent feelings of sadness, worthlessness or hopelessness - was an important predictor of death among women aged 65 or older.
The analysis followed about 2,400 seniors between 1994-95 and 2002-03 using data from the National Population Health Survey and the Canadian Mortality Database.
Psychological distress was a major factor for women, even when the study took into account other factors such as age, family and financial stress, level of education, major chronic diseases, smoking, weight and use of alcohol.
The finding corroborates previous research and suggests that mental health can influence survival.
The study found the impact of chronic diseases tended to offset that of stress in men over 65, suggesting they may be more vulnerable to the effects of chronic, degenerative conditions such as heart disease and cancer.
© The Canadian Press, 2006
