A new study by researchers at Oxford Population Health and Trinity College Dublin finds increased smoking and drinking during marital separation.
Published today in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, the study examined the smoking and drinking habits of over 13,000 Australians to understand how people cope with the stress associated with marital separation.
The study found that drinking and smoking increased for both men and women in the years leading up to, and at the time of, separation. During the year of separation, the probability of regular drinking increased by 5% and 6% for smoking. Women were more likely to increase regular drinking at the time of separation compared to men.
While men’s smoking and drinking rates eventually returned to pre-separation levels, women’s rates remained somewhat elevated for many years after separation. Although binge drinking (defined as more than five drinks for women and seven for men per day) increased in the period leading up to marital separation, the rise was less pronounced than the increases in regular drinking.
Joint lead author Dr Andrea Tilstra, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science and Oxford Population Health, said ‘Our findings suggest that people are turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms during stressful life changes. Even short-term increases in smoking and drinking can lead to long-term health risks.’
Women with children had the highest increases in both smoking and drinking. While smoking rates remained elevated after separation, drinking levels declined over time but never returned to pre-separation levels. Men with children increased their daily smoking, whereas smoking rates for men without children only marginally increased.
Joint lead author Dr Nicole Kapelle, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Trinity College Dublin, said ‘This finding highlights the need to address the unique challenges that parents, especially mothers, face during martial separation. Women and parents face social and structural pressures during separation that might push them towards unhealthy coping mechanisms.’
While the study offers a unique approach to measuring how health behaviours change during martial separation, self-reported data may underestimate the true extent of smoking and drinking behaviours.
The study reinforces the need for targeted support for those going through separation and encourages broader discussions on reducing the social and cultural normalisation of excessive alcohol consumption in Australia and other Western societies.
Dr Andrea Tilstra concludes ‘With nearly half of all marriages in Western societies ending in separation, understanding and addressing the health risks associated with this stressful life change is essential. Our study lays the groundwork for targeted support and interventions that can help individuals, particularly those at greatest risk of smoking and drinking, adopt healthier coping strategies.’
