NPR

Financial Ruin Can Be Hazardous To Your Health

People who experience a sharp drop in wealth face a much higher risk of dying over the next 20 years, according to a study of more than 8,000 adults in the U.S.
Source: Fanatic Studio

Losing your nest egg is apparently hazardous to your health — very hazardous.

An analysis involving more than 8,000 Americans found that those who suffered a "negative wealth shock" — defined as losing at least 75 percent of their wealth in two years — faced a 50 percent increased risk of dying over the next two decades.

"That was, a research assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University. "A 50 percent increased risk of mortality over a 20-year period is a lot."

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