A new study by Professor Haena Lee of the Department of Sociology at Sungkyunkwan University reveals that marital biographies over the life course significantly influence cognitive health in old age—and that these effects differ by gender. In particular, the study finds that remarriage increases the risk of cognitive impairment for women, while it appears to protect cognitive health for men. The findings were published in Innovation in Aging, a top-tier international journal in the field of gerontology (top 3% in JCR).

This study is among the first to longitudinally track marital histories across the life course and connect them to cognitive outcomes in late life, offering meaningful contributions to the fields of aging and social epidemiology.

While previous studies have emphasized the health benefits of being currently married, such cross-sectional approaches often overlook the evolving structure and context of marriage and the social interactions over the life course. Using 16 years of longitudinal data from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS), Professor Lee’s research tracked diverse marital trajectories—including first marriage, remarriage, divorce, and widowhood—and assessed their relationship with cognitive impairment through a gendered lens.

The findings reveal that individuals who remarried faced a higher risk of cognitive impairment compared to those in long-term first marriages. Notably, this adverse effect was only significant for women. The study suggests that marriage may not confer uniform health benefits, especially for women, who often assume the role of “kin-keepers”—those responsible for maintaining emotional ties and caregiving roles within families.

Interestingly, women in remarriages were at even greater risk of cognitive impairment than women who were currently living alone, indicating that remarriage may introduce emotional and social burdens for women. In contrast, remarried men showed significantly lower risk of cognitive decline compared to divorced or widowed men living alone.

“Marital biography isn’t just about whether someone is married,” Professor Lee explains. “It reflects who individuals interact with and how their social relationships evolve over the life course. In later life, as social networks shrink, marital history becomes a key indicator of the quality of one’s remaining social connections.”

The research was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Kyungwon Choi, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, and Professor Jooyoun Kim from the University of Seoul.

※ Title: Gender, Marital Histories, and Cognitive Impairment in Later Life: Does Remarriage Disadvantage Women?

※ Journal: Innovation in Aging

※ DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaf043

※ Authors: Professor Haena Lee