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The concept of marriage is in flux in society. In fact, recent data show that marriage rates<\/a> in the United States are actually falling. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n A recent study published in the journal Cancer Research Communications<\/a> suggests that being or having been married may be associated with reduced cancer risk. This means that, according to the data, many people may be missing out on the health benefits of marriage. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n However, there are some who say that the societal concept of marriage being \u201cbetter\u201d than being single may skew data and the interpretations of it. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cPeople start from the assumption \u2018Marriage: good. No marriage: bad\u2019 and interpret things in ways that do not make sense in terms of actual data,\u201d Joan DelFattore<\/a>, PhD, professor emerita of English and legal studies at the University of Delaware, and someone who has written about cancer and marital status for academic journals and mass media, told CNN<\/a>. Delfattore wasn\u2019t involved in the study.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n She added that this bias, which is embedded in medical training and research, often leads to conclusions that may be \u201cover-simplified.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The recent study showed, however, that statistically, people who had an \u201cever-married\u201d status had a lower incident rate of cancer than those who had \u201cnever-married.\u201d The researchers identified \u201cever-married\u201d to include married, separated, divorced, or widowed individuals.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThis demonstrates that marriage confers not only known social benefits but also downstream physiological benefits, highlighting the unity between mind and body, and between social, mental, and physical health,\u201d said Deborah Vinall<\/a>, PsyD, LMFT, and Chief Psychological Officer with Recovered, who was not involved in the study. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cLoneliness is known to be fatal. This study makes that finding more concrete,\u201d Vinall said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n While this study may show another potential health benefit of marriage, more research is needed. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The researchers found that among never-married males, cancer rates were 68% higher than those of males in the ever-married group. For never-married females, the rate was 85% higher than that of females in the ever-married group. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWith how heterogeneous both cancer and individual behaviors can be, this is a nuanced question but to generalize broadly, being married is known to decrease exposure to many of the risk factors associated with various malignancies,\u201d said Ketan Thanki<\/a>, MD, board certified colorectal surgeon who specializes in benign and malignant disease of the colon, rectum, and anus with the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center. Thanki wasn\u2019t involved in the study. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The research team notes that these findings probably have multiple causes. For example, some cancers, such as ovarian<\/a> and endometrial<\/a> cancers, may be related to reproductive mechanisms. Individuals who have The study also found that in older participants, the correlation between marriage and cancer risk seemed to strengthen. This may suggest that the effects of marriage accumulate over time. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s also possible that these outcomes are partly due to the way marriage can offer advantages in social support and healthcare. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n The study researchers suggest that people who are married may be less likely to partake in behaviors that may be considered a risk, pointing to data that shows marriage was strongly associated with lower rates of lung<\/a> and cervical<\/a> cancer. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Both these cancers are linked to behaviors that may be considered a risk, like smoking, sexual activity, and drinking alcohol. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cMarried people get screened more,\u201d Thanki suggested. \u201cThis is especially true for men who are 20% more likely<\/a> to get colonoscopies<\/a>, for example, if married \u2026 Having a partner to help us manage and afford our lifestyle and food choices and remind us to get our health maintenance checkups seems to help prevent cancer,\u201d said Thanki. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n Vinall agreed, \u201cMarriage partners are invested in each other\u2019s long-term health and wellness. They may be more likely to encourage one another to engage in health-maintaining efforts such as eating well, exercising, and attending regular doctor\u2019s visits, which can catch problems at a pre-cancerous stage.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt is interesting to note that while other surveys have found that marriage benefits men\u2019s mental health<\/a> more than women\u2019s, the reduction in cancer risk identified in this study applies to both genders,\u201d she told Healthline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n Some research<\/a> suggests that single individuals going through cancer care may have worse outcomes<\/a> than those who are married. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n However, others, like DelFattore, argue that this may be due in part to stereotypes held by doctors. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n More research is needed, and the study authors emphasize that it should focus on how to better support unmarried individuals. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n It also provides doctors with an opportunity to counsel those without a support system at home. Unmarried people should be encouraged to build a strong support network. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cSocial support really is the key factor, whether in a partner, friends, or family,\u201d Thanki told Healthline. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cTaking that support out of the same home probably diminishes the effect slightly but still, having family and friends who encourage or inspire healthful behaviors, remind you to get your screening, and share meals and activities with you will not only keep you in a healthier and happier mental space but help keep you on top of the physical aspects of health that reduce cancer risk,\u201d Thanki said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Vindall added that it is important to remember \u201cmarriage decreases the odds of cancer but does not prevent it. If you are in a happy marriage and cancer still occurs, it is not an indictment of your marriage, love, or care for your spouse.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n