Table 4.
Descriptive Statistics for the Triads Sample (husband-wife–ex-wife)
| Variable | Mean/Fraction |
|---|---|
| Death | |
| Husband dies | 0.57 |
| Wife dies before husband | 0.20 |
| Ex-wife dies before husband | 0.33 |
| Both die before husband | 0.08 |
| Age, 1993 | |
| Husband | 75.49 |
| Current wife | 71.39 |
| Ex-wife | 73.65 |
| Age Relation | |
| Wife is older than husband | 0.21 |
| Wife is older than ex-wife | 0.34 |
| Ex-wife is older than husband | 0.27 |
| Poverty 1993 | |
| Husband | 0.04 |
| Current wife | 0.05 |
| Ex-wife | 0.36 |
| Charlson Score (second half of 1992) | |
| Husband | |
| Low | 0.93 |
| Moderate | 0.03 |
| Severe | 0.04 |
| Current wife | |
| Low | 0.95 |
| Moderate | 0.02 |
| Severe | 0.03 |
| Ex-wife | |
| Low | 0.91 |
| Moderate | 0.04 |
| Severe | 0.05 |
| Weeks Hospitalized (second half of 1992) | |
| Husband | 0.18 |
| Current wife | 0.12 |
| Ex-wife | 0.27 |
| Region of Residence (husband-wife) | |
| New England | 0.05 |
| Mid-Atlantic | 0.07 |
| East-North Central | 0.13 |
| West-North Central | 0.05 |
| South Atlantic | 0.20 |
| East-South Central | 0.06 |
| West-South Central | 0.11 |
| Mountain | 0.09 |
| Pacific | 0.24 |
| N | 2,138 |
Notes: Triads consisting of husbands linked to both the current wife and the ex-wife. All are white, alive, and aged 65.5+ at baseline on January 1, 1993. Follow-up ends January 1, 2002.
Source: Authors’ calculations.