 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >> The study participants also completed questionnaires at the same intervals regarding demographics -- exposure to major life events (such as marital status, the death of family and friends, housing, and finances); social support perceptions; and health behaviors (such as alcohol/cigarette use, exercise and dietary habits, and sleep patterns).
Reporting in the new issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the researchers said that, in most instances, there appeared to be no association between the frequency and seriousness of most major life events and the ability of the vaccine to provoke the desired antibody response.
But, there were two big exceptions to this rule -- marital status and bereavement.
Text Continues Below
Among the one-third of patients who had suffered the loss of a family member or close friend in the previous year, including seven people who had lost a spouse, the antibody response was significantly lower than for patients who had not experienced such a loss.
At one month post-vaccination, the bereaved patients showed a 69 percent lower antibody response, on average, to one flu strain and an 83 percent lower response to a second strain, the researchers found.
On the other hand, for the two-thirds of the men and women who indicated that they were either married or living with someone, the antibody response was significantly higher than among those who were divorced, single, separated or widowed.
In addition, marital satisfaction was also associated with improved antibody response. Unmarried patients were found to have a 74 percent lower antibody response to one strain of flu, compared to those who were happily married.
Phillips said the findings might help health-care providers to get the most vulnerable elderly to improve their chances of getting the greatest benefit from a flu shot.
Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>
|
.gif)
