Bereavement following the death of a close family member is associated with both psychological and physical health consequences, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The COVID-19 pandemic may have intensified these effects through increased social isolation, disrupted mourning practices, reduced access to social support and changes in health care. However, it has remained unclear whether the association between bereavement and cardiovascular disease became stronger during the pandemic.
The study used Swedish national register data and included individuals aged 30 years or older during two periods: before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2018–2019 and during the pandemic in 2020–2021. More than 5.3 million individuals were included in the pre-pandemic period and more than 5.5 million during the pandemic. Bereavement was defined as the death of a partner, child, parent or sibling. The researchers examined subsequent diagnoses of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease and heart failure.
Bereavement was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease both before and during the pandemic, regardless of the type of family loss. However, the increase in risk was greater during the COVID-19 period following the death of a partner or sibling. The association also differed by age: cardiovascular risk following the loss of a partner or parent tended to increase with age, whereas risks following the loss of a child or sibling were greater at younger ages.
The findings suggest that bereavement represents a period of increased cardiovascular vulnerability and that some of these risks were amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors highlight the potential importance of targeted monitoring and preventive care for people who have recently experienced the death of a close family member.
Read more: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2848139