TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-Term prevalence and predictors of prolonged grief disorder amongst bereaved cancer caregivers
T2 - A cohort study
AU - Zordan, Rachel D.
AU - Bell, Melanie L.
AU - Price, Melanie
AU - Remedios, Cheryl
AU - Lobb, Elizabeth
AU - Hall, Christopher
AU - Hudson, Peter
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments. This work was supported by the Victorian Cancer Agency
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019.
PY - 2019/10/1
Y1 - 2019/10/1
N2 - Context The short-Term impact of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) following bereavement is well documented. The longer term sequelae of PGD however are poorly understood, possibly unrecognized, and may be incorrectly attributed to other mental health disorders and hence undertreated.Objectives The aims of this study were to prospectively evaluate the prevalence of PGD three years post bereavement and to examine the predictors of long-Term PGD in a population-based cohort of bereaved cancer caregivers.Methods A cohort of primary family caregivers of patients admitted to one of three palliative care services in Melbourne, Australia, participated in the study (n = 301). Sociodemographic, mental health, and bereavement-related data were collected from the caregiver upon the patient's admission to palliative care (T1). Further data addressing circumstances around the death and psychological health were collected at six (T2, n = 167), 13 (T3, n = 143), and 37 months (T4, n = 85) after bereavement.Results At T4, 5% and 14% of bereaved caregivers met criteria for PGD and subthreshold PGD, respectively. Applying the total PGD score at T4, linear regression analysis found preloss anticipatory grief measured at T1 and self-reported coping measured at T2 were highly statistically significant predictors (both p < 0.0001) of PGD in the longer term.Conclusion For almost 20% of caregivers, the symptoms of PGD appear to persist at least three years post bereavement. These findings support the importance of screening caregivers upon the patient's admission to palliative care and at six months after bereavement to ascertain their current mental health. Ideally, caregivers at risk of developing PGD can be identified and treated before PGD becomes entrenched.
AB - Context The short-Term impact of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) following bereavement is well documented. The longer term sequelae of PGD however are poorly understood, possibly unrecognized, and may be incorrectly attributed to other mental health disorders and hence undertreated.Objectives The aims of this study were to prospectively evaluate the prevalence of PGD three years post bereavement and to examine the predictors of long-Term PGD in a population-based cohort of bereaved cancer caregivers.Methods A cohort of primary family caregivers of patients admitted to one of three palliative care services in Melbourne, Australia, participated in the study (n = 301). Sociodemographic, mental health, and bereavement-related data were collected from the caregiver upon the patient's admission to palliative care (T1). Further data addressing circumstances around the death and psychological health were collected at six (T2, n = 167), 13 (T3, n = 143), and 37 months (T4, n = 85) after bereavement.Results At T4, 5% and 14% of bereaved caregivers met criteria for PGD and subthreshold PGD, respectively. Applying the total PGD score at T4, linear regression analysis found preloss anticipatory grief measured at T1 and self-reported coping measured at T2 were highly statistically significant predictors (both p < 0.0001) of PGD in the longer term.Conclusion For almost 20% of caregivers, the symptoms of PGD appear to persist at least three years post bereavement. These findings support the importance of screening caregivers upon the patient's admission to palliative care and at six months after bereavement to ascertain their current mental health. Ideally, caregivers at risk of developing PGD can be identified and treated before PGD becomes entrenched.
KW - Bereavement
KW - Caregiver
KW - Complicated grief
KW - Mental health
KW - Palliative care
KW - Prolonged grief disorder
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061642525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85061642525&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1017/S1478951518001013
DO - 10.1017/S1478951518001013
M3 - Article
C2 - 30767818
AN - SCOPUS:85061642525
SN - 1478-9515
VL - 17
SP - 507
EP - 514
JO - Palliative and Supportive Care
JF - Palliative and Supportive Care
IS - 5
ER -