Death from a broken heart”: A systematic review of the relationship between spousal bereavement and physical and physiological health outcomes
Abstract
The loss of a loved one is often associated with "death from a broken heart" for the survivor, and there is evidence that shows that widowers and widows are at risk for higher morbidity and mortality than the general population. This systematic review will summarize the physical and physiological health outcomes of spousal bereavement. A systematic database search was conducted, and 38 studies were analyzed. The majority of studies found a statistically significant and positive association between spousal bereavement and adverse physical and physiological health outcomes such as inflammation, cardiovascular risk, chronic pain, and mortality.
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The loss of a first-degree family member significantly increases the risk of mortality, disease, and suicide for the mourner.
“The loss of a first-degree family member significantly increases the risk of mortality, disease, and suicide for the mourner (2–6).”
From Ayahuasca-assisted meaning reconstruction therapy for grief: a non-randomized clinical trial protocol (2025) · cites this paper as [2]
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Brodbeck, J., & Znoj, H. J. (2023) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197524718.013.25 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Ennis, J., & Majid, U.
- Affiliations
- McMaster University (CA)
- University Health Network (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Majid, Umair
- ORCID
- Majid, Umair
- Venue
- Death Studies
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2019-09-19
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 538-551
- ISSN
- 0748-1187 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-7683
- OpenAlex
- W2974779212
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 58
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 7
- FWCI
- 0.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Death Studies (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Death, Funerary Practices, and Mourning
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Keywords
- death of a spouse, widowhood, grief, physical health outcomes, inflammation, cardiovascular risk, chronic pain, mortality, morbidity
- MeSH terms
- Bereavement, Grief, Humans, Outcome Assessment, Health Care
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