Wives happier with husbands who clean

BEIRUT, Lebanon, March 30 (UPI) -- Husbands can make their wives happy by trying their hand at housework, a study of Beirut married couples says.

The findings in the American Journal of Public Health under First Look were consistent with previous studies conducted in Western countries that found women's psychological health is tied to their sense of fairness when it comes to housework.

Wives whose husbands had low levels of involvement in housework were more likely to be distressed, uncomfortable with their husbands and unhappy when compared to those with husbands who regularly helped with household chores. Researchers surveyed 1,652 married couples living in low-income neighborhoods.

Seventy percent of the couples said the wife was solely responsible for cooking, washing dishes and other household tasks, the study said.