Emily Chan
They discovered that almost 40 percent of participants experienced at least one significant loss by the time they reached their early forties.
Additionally, losses experienced during adulthood seemed to have a greater impact on biological aging than losses experienced in childhood or adolescence.
The finding challenges the idea that traumas in early life are the most impactful. Instead, we may actually be more vulnerable to the effects of loss in adulthood.
Furthermore, there were racial disparities, with 57 percent of Black participants and 41 percent of Hispanic participants experiencing at least one loss compared to 34 percent of White participants.
The gap in exposure to loss could also be contributing to health inequalities among certain racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.
The study points to the need for better resources and support systems for those dealing with grief. It also provides a possible explanation for why people who have suffered multiple losses tend have an increased risk of contracting health issues as they get older.
More research on how grief impacts health and aging could help improve long-term health outcomes and slow down biological aging. This is especially important for racial and ethnic groups that experience disproportionate losses.
The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
