Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

Which gender is more likely to be widowed at a younger age?

1. Men

2. Women

3. The likelihood is equal for both

4. It varies across cultures

The correct answer is: Men

The correct choice highlights that men are more likely to be widowed at a younger age. This phenomenon can be attributed to several social and biological factors. Statistically, men often marry younger women, which means that if a woman passes away, her male partner, depending on their age difference, may be relatively younger than widowers from other generations. Additionally, men tend to have shorter lifespans compared to women, meaning that in cases of widowhood, women often end up living longer lives after the death of their spouses. It's also important to consider that when discussing the aging population, women tend to outlive men; thus, the situation may seem counterintuitive without considering these dynamics of lifespan and marital age differences. In contrast, other factors such as cultural influences or equal likelihood do not adequately reflect the statistical trends seen in demographic studies regarding widowhood and age, which generally affirm that younger widowhood is more prevalent among men.