RISK OF MORTALITY FOLLOWING WIDOWHOOD - AGE AND SEX-DIFFERENCES BY MODE OF DEATH

This study examines how spouses' deaths from sudden or lengthy illness es differentially affect the mortality risks of surviving widows and w idowers by age. Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we find the mortality risk differs by gender, age, and type of widowhood. For none lderly (<65) widowers, there is an elevated risk when their wives died suddenly. For older (greater than or equal to 65) widows, the mortali ty risk is lower than that of comparably aged married women when their husbands died after a long-term illness. These gender, age, and mode- of-death differences are consistent with role theory and theories of s ocial support.