The Unseen Burden of Grief: Why Bereavement Is a Social Determinant of Health

Abstract

Globally, the opioid crisis, armed conflicts, climate-related disasters and the lingering aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic have given rise to a large population grappling with traumatic bereavement. As a universal human experience, bereavement exerts health impacts characterized by stark social inequities: it acts as a pivotal catalyst for population health disparities and stands as a critical issue that demands urgent attention from the global public health system.