Date of Award

2026-05-22

Degree Name

PhD Leadership Studies

Dissertation Committee

Fred J. Galloway, EdD, Chairperson; Leslie Boozer, EdD, JD, Member; Ruth A. Bush, PhD, Member

Keywords

bereavement, grief, workplace, employees, self-reported health, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Although the death of a loved one is a universal experience, grief and bereavement may affect employees in the workplace. Prior research on grief and bereavement in the workplace has been largely qualitative. Little attention has been given to how bereavement, employment-related factors, and demographic characteristics are associated with health among working-age adults. The Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) offered a large dataset for examining these relationships.

This retrospective, exploratory, correlational quantitative study used the 2019 and 2022 Georgia BRFSS datasets to examine self-reported health among bereaved and non-bereaved adults ages 18 to 64. Analytic samples included employed adults and students (2019 n = 2,203; 2022 n = 2,690). The dependent variables were self-rated poor/fair general health, poor physical health, and poor mental health. Independent variables included employment-related factors and demographic characteristics, with bereavement as the primary independent variable of interest. Employment-related and demographic models were run separately by year. Occupation and industry groups clarified patterns, while detailed occupation and industry categories were retained to identify patterns rather than support conclusions for every category. Demographic characteristics included age, gender, marital status, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, household income, and health insurance status. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted separately by year.

The findings revealed that bereavement was statistically significant with worse self-reported health when examined alongside employment-related and demographic factors, although not in every model. In 2019, bereavement was statistically significant in models examining poor mental health, alongside employment-related and/or demographic factors, and bereaved respondents reported worse mental health than non-bereaved respondents. In 2022, bereavement was statistically significant in models examining self-rated poor/fair general health, where select employment-related and/or demographic factors were significant, and bereaved respondents reported worse health than non-bereaved respondents. Employment-related patterns appeared in service-related and physically demanding roles, while lower educational attainment and household income were associated with worse self-reported health among the bereaved. Findings differed between 2019 and 2022.

This study adds to quantitative research on grief and bereavement among working adults and students and offers insight into related employment and demographic patterns of self-reported health in the bereaved.

Keywords: bereavement, grief, workplace, employees, self-reported health, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)

Document Type

Dissertation: Open Access

Department

Leadership Studies

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