A Grieving Heart: Does Feeling Burdensome to Others Impact Inflammatory Outcomes During Spousal Bereavement?

Project Narrative This study is clinically relevant to public health in that it will improve our understanding of individual risk factors for CVD in bereaved adults by investigating an novel psychosocial risk factor, self-perceived burden, and its relationship to inflammation, a biological outcome central in all phases of heart disease (as well as many other diseases, more broadly). Importantly, self-perceived burden (i.e., feeling burdensome to others), is a modifiable risk factor, and thus, results may yield important information related to the development or revision of existing clinical interventions for bereaved individuals targeting disease prevention. These goals are directly in line with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s mission to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, and blood diseases and enhance the health of all individuals so that they can live longer and more fulfilling lives.