The hypothesis of suppressed hostility as a factor in rheumatoid arthritis is supported by the finding that rheumatoid arthritics are more liable to divorce, but put up with an unsatisfactory marriage longer than those who are free of the disease. This is more striking for males than for females.
Le hypothese de supprimite hostilitate como factor in arthritis rheumatoide es supportate per le constatation que patientes de arthritis rheumatoide ha un augmentate incidentia de divorcios sed indura un dissatisfacente maritage plus longemente que subjectos sin ille morbo.
Iste relation es plus marcate in mascu-10s que in femininas.
ARITAL STATUS is an easily measurable aspect of the social environ-M ment and so has received attention with respect to many diseases.1,2 Three studies of this matter in rheumatoid arthritis have been in agreement that marital status is a more significant variable for men than for ~o m e n . ~-~ The interpretation of the fact that age-adjusted rates for rheumatoid arthritis are higher for males who are married than for those who have remained unmarried and highest of all for those who have had a marriage terminated continues to be unclear.
In thinking about the personality characteristics of people with rheumatoid arthritis, we have been impressed with the observation that many of them carry a substantial burden of hostility which they are unable to e x p r e s ~. ~* ~ If this be so, it is reasonable to suppose that there should be an association between arthritis and divorce and that on the whole the rheumatoids should have held onto an unsuccessful marriage longer than persons free of the disease.
Methods
In order to explore these notions, an investigation of a group of persons currently in divorce proceedings in the Allegheny County Courts was undertaken. For this purpose, the interview index of rheumatoid arthritis was used. To qualify as positive on this index, an individual must reply affirmatively to each of the following three questions: