Rice University: Working can exacerbate stress for grieving spouses: 'The lower the income the worse the mental health effects'

It should come as no surprise that grieving over a spouse can take a toll on the survivor’s mental and physical health, but new research indicates those who work after such a loss can face even more stress.

The Biobehavioral Mechanisms Explaining Disparities Lab (BMED) at Texas-based Rice University headed up research that gauges the significant toll that coping with the loss of a spouse can take on the health of widows or widowers who are still in the full-time work force, Rice said in a release. 

The study, titled "Employment and Family Income in Psychological and Immune Outcomes During Bereavement," explores the mental and physical well-being of individuals who experienced the loss of a spouse three months prior to the survey. 

The researchers focused on how employment status and income influenced the health outcomes of surviving partners. The study revealed that working surviving spouses reported higher levels of perceived stress and bodily inflammation compared to retired individuals who had lost their partners. 

Jensine Paoletti, a postdoctoral research fellow in the BMED lab and the lead author of the study, explained that elevated stress levels and chronic inflammation are indicators of a heightened risk for negative physical health outcomes in the future, the Rice report said.

Furthermore, the researchers discovered a negative correlation between family income and mental health in working widows and widowers. "The lower the income, the worse the mental health effects," the study said. Surprisingly, income did not impact the mental well-being of retired individuals who had lost their spouses. 

Chris Fagundes, Rice psychological sciences professor and BMED lab director, served as the senior author. Fagundes suggests the "secondary stress" associated with the loss of a spouse, such as assuming the daily tasks once performed by the deceased and settling affairs, poses an immense burden for survivors when tackled along with their jobs. Higher earners are more likely to hire others to help with such responsibilities, resulting in better physical and mental health outcomes.

The researchers suggested that this study could spur further investigation into how employment status affects the health of widowed adults. By shedding light on the challenges faced by working individuals coping with the loss of a spouse, the findings underscore the need for support and resources to alleviate the burden on this vulnerable population. 

The project received support from the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Aging. The full paper can be accessed online and was published in the April edition of Psychoneuroendocrinology.

The research contributes to our understanding of the intricate relationship between bereavement, employment and health outcomes for widows and widowers, Rice said in its report. It also serves as a call to action for further exploration and the development of targeted interventions to support individuals navigating the challenging journey of grief while maintaining their professional lives.