If you had to make a choice, would you rather die young and alone or live a long life with someone you could no longer stand? A new study suggests divorce results in a shorter life span, but those who have already split from their mates might argue otherwise.

The University of Arizona study gathered data from 32 previous studies involving more than 6.5 million people in 11 countries. According to the research, divorcees were 23 percent more likely to die younger than married people, with men having almost twice as high a risk of dying young.

But did the divorce actually cause the early death? It's not a simple cause-and-effect correlation. One clear factor seems to be "social selection." The study's authors explain that "some people possess characteristics that increase risk for both separation/divorce and poor health outcomes." In other words, if you're prone to depression and hostility, these qualities could cause the demise of your marriage and your death at an earlier age, and the former may not be the cause of the latter. It's not an easy theory to prove, of course.

But can't the effects of divorce have an effect on your life? Consider the financial impact of a divorce: Many divorcees aren't as well off as they were when they were married. And they may not be as healthy as a result; financial hardship can cause stress, which can lead to high blood pressure and other health problems. Evidence from the study suggests that divorce also disrupts positive social ties and relationships, which contribute to well-being. In addition, people who divorce are prone to resuming unhealthy habits, such as smoking.

But as with almost all studies, there are undetermined factors. Many divorced people remarry and live happily ever after. Others were miserable and unhealthy in their failed marriages, and being out on their own again leads to increased well-being. Divorce is complex enough that it can't be summed up even with multiple extensive studies, but that doesn't stop us from analyzing its long-term effects.

Source: Huffington Post, "Will Divorce increase your Chances of Early Death?" Robert Hughes Jr., Dec. 3, 2011