January 16, 2025 Update

From August 2023 to December 2024, the study team gathered information on mental health and resilience from bereaved 9/11 survivors. These individuals lived, worked, or went to school near the World Trade Center (WTC) during the events of 9/11 and were bereaved on or after 9/11. Participants were recruited through emails and flyers sent by the WTC Health Registry.

In total, 1,033 participants enrolled in the study, consented to have prior WTC Health Registry survey responses released to the study team, and completed an online questionnaire about several topics regarding their loss, including: feelings of grief, depression, anxiety, coping strategies, physical health, cognition, posttraumatic growth, and resilience.

Of these participants, 104 individuals who endorsed symptoms of currently impairing grief were invited to participate in a virtual interview session with members of Columbia University’s Center for Prolonged Grief - an option which 64 participants completed.The data from the online questionnaire and virtual feedback sessions have been finalized. The USU study team is awaiting receipt of participant responses from prior WTC Health Registry waves of data collection. Upon receipt, all data will be analyzed to address the study aims of the project. Results will be published in forthcoming reports, scientific publications, and professional and community presentations.