LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — A new report from UAMS has found that 1 in every 4 American adults have dealt with the death of a family member or close friend due to COVID.
The report, which is led by UAMS's Office of Community Health & Research, studied responses by those who "self-reported the death of a loved one due to COVID."
Researchers found this loss of a loved one due to the virus can have lasting impacts on the person grieving, physical health issues, disability rates, medication use, hospitalization, and depressive symptoms all increasing in likelihood as a result.
“People who have suffered loss during the pandemic may still be suffering,” said Don E. Willis (Ph.D), assistant professor in the Office of Community Health & Research. “Even if the last COVID-19 death were to occur tomorrow, the staggering loss of life from the pandemic will likely be impacting the lives and health of the bereaved for many years to come.”
Alongside the lasting health impacts that the prolonged grieving could cause, authorities also found a greater risk of death among those in minority groups, especially in the Black community, people 60 and older, married couples, and people that have "foregone treatment due to health care costs."
"This study showed that there have been major racial disparities in exposure to the loss of close friends or family due to COVID-19,” Willis said
Throughout the country, over 1 million Americans have died from the virus, with more than 12,000 of those cases being in the Natural State.
According to the Arkansas Department of Health, about 72% of those who have died in the state since Feb. 2021 weren't fully vaccinated against the virus.
