Divorced people had the highest rate of hospitalisation in psychiatric units last year, according 
to new figures [1] from the Health Research Board (HRB).
The figures show that the rate of hospitalisation for divorced people was 115.9 per 100,000, nearly twice the national average of 66.3 per 100,000.
The HRB carry out a census in March each year to assess the numbers of people resident in psychiatric units across the country. By December 2009, the figures showed that 2,812 people were resident on the census night and nearly half of the long-stay group were over the age of 65 years.
Divorced people — who are still relatively low in number in this country — had a hospitalisation rate of 115.9 per 100,000, followed by those widowed at 90.9 per 100,000.
The figures tally with international research showing that divorce tends to harm mental health.
A study [2] published in 2009 showed that divorce or the death of a spouse severely damages a man or woman’s long-term health even if they remarry.
It is believed that the health of the divorced or widowed suffers because incomes drop and intense stress and unhappiness develops over issues such as childcare and finances and over the break-up itself.
The patients were also assessed for depressive symptoms and were asked to rate their own health as excellent, very good, good, fair or poor.
The study found that remarried and previously married people both showed ‘significantly worse’ health than the continuously married in all aspects studied, including depressive symptoms.
Previous research has suggested that marriage has protective health benefits by providing financial, social and emotional stability.
The data showed that men accounted for 53pc of all residents and the gender breakdown has not changed over the last 40 years. One third were aged 65 years or over, 12pc were aged 25-34 years and six per cent were under the age of 25 years.
The census from the Health Research Board showed overall there was a reduction in patients of 577 compared to 2006 and a drastic fall from the figure of 19,801 in 1963.
People who are widowed and in a psychiatric unit may be in the acute stage of their loss but it could also be that they do not have home support.
Agricultural workers had the highest rate of hospitalisation followed by the unskilled group and farmers.
One third had a diagnosis of schizophrenia, 17pc had depressive disorders, 10pc had an organic mental disorder and eight per cent had mania.