The Canadian Medical Association Journal just released an intriguing study of 4,403 heart attack victims. The purpose:
Coronary artery disease is the most common cause of death in the Western world, and being married decreases the risk of death from cardiovascular causes. We aimed to determine whether marital status was a predictor of the duration of chest pain endured by patients with acute myocardial infarction before they sought care and whether the patient’s sex modified the effect.
The results:
Being married was associated with lower odds of delayed presentation (odds ratio [OR] 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30–0.71, p < 0.001) relative to being single. Among men, the OR was 0.35 (95% CI 0.21–0.59, p < 0.001), whereas among women the effect of marital status was not significant (OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.49–3.73, p = 0.55).
Their interpretation:
Among men experiencing acute myocardial infarction with chest pain, being married was associated with significantly earlier presentation for care, a benefit that was not observed for married women. Earlier presentation for medical care appears to be one reason for the observed lower risk of cardiovascular death among married men, relative to their single counterparts.
One of my goals with the Good Men Project is to show that gender equality does not mean men and women are the same. When it comes to asking directions, men are more likely to be dumb-asses and drive in circles for longer. And when it comes to chest pain, this study seems to point out, beyond any scientific doubt, men need a woman to grab them by the neck and get them to the hospital to seek life-saving treatment. Women are smart enough to do it themselves without regard to what any man might say or do.
Conclusions:
- Get married.
- If your chest hurts, go to the damn hospital.
- If your chest hurts, but you think you are OK despite what your wife says, shut up and listen to her.
- Consider generalizing number three for pretty much anything. It will save your marriage, your life, and simplify your existence.
—Photo Flickr/katmere