Single Mothers Suffer Health Problems More Often Than Other Women - HER Week In Health

Hi, I'm Bailey Mosier and this is EmpowHER's, HER Week In Health.

In this week’s edition, a study tells us that single mothers suffer middle-aged health problems, obesity raises the risk of both developing breast cancer and dying of it, and children enrolled in preschool full-time see greater successes later in life.

According to a recent study published in the June issue of American Sociological Review, unwed mothers face poorer health at midlife than do women who have children after marriage, due in large part to the high levels of stress and the poor economic conditions faced by single moms.

The team of researchers from Ohio State University used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth over a 30+ year span, and found that unwed mothers reported poorer health at age 40 than did married mothers.
Results showed that for most women, the negative consequences of having a first birth out of wedlock aren’t eased by a later marriage. The one exception, at least in some cases, was marrying the biological father.
The researchers say that 40 percent of all births in the U.S. now occur to unmarried women, compared to less than 10 percent in 1960 and that this study brings to light some major implications for our society and our healthcare system.
Women with a healthy body weight before and after diagnosis of breast cancer are more likely to survive the disease long term, according to a new study led by researchers at City of Hope National Medical Center in California.
Women who are obese or overweight tend to have higher levels of circulating estrogen, and so for the breast cancers that are hormonally dependent, overweight women face higher rates of mortality.
The researchers studied 5,000 women over 11 years and found evidence that obesity raises the risk of both developing breast cancer and dying of it, and that it’s not only one’s weight at the time of diagnosis that affects chances of survival, but even as far back as when they were in their teens.
According to a report from the University of Minnesota published in the June 9 issue of Science, children enrolled in a full-time preschool program that sees them through elementary school have a better life 25 years later than children who never attended preschool.

For the study, the team followed 1,400 children of preschool age in the 1980s – 900 enrolled in preschool and 500 who weren’t – and caught up with them 25 years later.
Researchers found that children who went through preschool have higher incomes, higher education levels, a higher socioeconomic status and are less likely to abuse drugs or be involved in criminal activities. They are also more likely to have health insurance coverage.
But researchers say there isn't enough spending on high-quality preschool services, even though positive effects have been shown, and that legislators need to bridge the gap between what we know and what we fund.
That wraps up your EmpowHER HER Week In Health. Join me here, at EmpowHER.com every Friday as we recap the latest in women’s health.

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Tags:

• Breast Cancer
• Parenting
• Pregnancy
• Wellness