Does parental divorce raise stroke risk for adults?

Adults whose parents divorced during their childhood face a 60% higher risk of experiencing a stroke compared to those whose parents remained married, according to new research from the University of Toronto.

The study, published in PLOS One, analyzed data from 13,200 adults aged 65 and older who reported no history of childhood abuse. About 14% of participants had experienced parental divorce before reaching adulthood, and 7% reported having a stroke.

"The magnitude of the association between parental divorce and stroke was comparable to well-established risk factors for stroke such as male gender and having diabetes," said Esme Fuller-Thomson, senior study author from the University of Toronto.

Researchers suggest the increased stroke risk could stem from chronic stress affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis, which regulates the body's stress response. Previous studies have linked disruption of this system to elevated stroke risk.

The research team also noted that children of divorced parents often face additional health challenges, including high blood pressure, persistent sleep problems, and childhood poverty — all factors that can increase stroke likelihood.

Stroke, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel ruptures and leaks blood into the brain, remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. In 2023, strokes claimed 162,600 American lives.

The study acknowledged several limitations. Researchers lacked data on participants' blood pressure, cholesterol levels, contraceptive use, age at parents' divorce, and specific types of strokes experienced. Additionally, the study population consisted of individuals born before 1957, predating the widespread adoption of no-fault divorce laws in the 1960s and 1970s.

"Due to the changes in societal norms, it is not clear that Gen X or Millennial Americans will experience a similar link between parental divorce and stroke as was evident in our sample from the Baby Boom and Silent Generation cohorts," the researchers wrote in their findings.

The current study builds upon Fuller-Thomson's 2010 research, which indicated that children of divorce were more than twice as likely to experience a stroke during their lifetime compared to their peers from intact families.

Previous research has documented other long-term health effects associated with parental divorce. Studies have found that adults who experienced parental divorce as children may face an increased risk of depression and compromised immune function, making them more susceptible to illnesses such as the common cold.

The impact of parental divorce on long-term health outcomes can vary based on several factors, including the child's age when the divorce occurred, the level of conflict between parents, and the amount of parental support provided during and after the separation.

Research suggests that nearly half of marriages in the United States end in divorce or separation. Research indicates that children who experience parental divorce may be more likely to develop depression, trust issues, and low self-esteem, which can affect their academic performance and social relationships.

The research team controlled for known stroke risk factors, including diabetes, depression, and limited social support networks in their analysis. However, they emphasized the need for further research to understand better the relationship between childhood experiences and adult health outcomes.