Married men live longer than single men. But married men are a lot more willing to die, at least according to US TV host Johnny Carson. We see headlines about marriage and levels of happiness now and again, but a new American study suggests the reasons for marriage dissolution are many and varied, and can rarely be drawn along gender lines.

Although it makes for a great punchline, husbands probably don’t benefit more in terms of health and well-being than their wives. If there is a difference, it’s that people who are married tend to fare better than cohabiting couples who are, in turn, ...

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