Widowhood: The Effects Of African American Widowhood

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Introduction One of the most stressful events for older adults in later life is the death of a spouse, more formally defined as widowhood. Widowhood involves the loss of relationship of 50 or more years(Whitbourne, 2014). The effects of widowhood are often detrimental on the bereaved individual but varies greatly according the circumstances surrounding the spouse, socioeconomic status , race, ethnicity,and the nature of the couples relationship . According to Whitbourne, 80% of widowed adults over the age of 65 are women and 73% of women are widows by the age of 85. (Whitbourne, 2014). The highest rate of widowhood (76.2%) is among African American women ages 85 and over (Whitbourne, 2014). For minority women specifically, of African American

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