Are deaths from COVID-19 associated with higher rates of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) than deaths from other causes?

Abstract

With the COVID-19 pandemic prompting predictions of a “grief pandemic,” rates and risks for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) warrant further investigation. Data were collected online from 1470 respondents between October 2020 and July 2021. Shorter time since death, deaths of siblings and “others,” and deaths from accidents and homicides were positively associated with potential risk of probable PGD; deaths of extended family and from dementia were negatively associated with probable PGD. When compared directly to deaths from COVID-19, natural causes of death were associated with lower potential risk of probable PGD, while deaths from unnatural causes were associated with higher potential risk.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Acknowledgements

All sponsors had no direct input into the design or conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, or interpretation of the data; or preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript.

Notes

1 References to PGD throughout this study refer to the psychometrically validated diagnostic criteria for PGD that will appear in DSM-5-TR. However, the citations in this introduction may refer to/have investigated PGD predecessors such as complicated grief and traumatic grief. For the purposes of this introduction, these can all be assumed to be roughly equivalent.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Cancer Institute [CA197730; Prigerson; CA218313; Prigerson/Lichtenthal], the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities [MD007652; Maciejewski/Prigerson], the National Institute of Nursing Research [NR018693; Prigerson/Epstein]; the National Institute on Aging [AG049666; Reid/Prigerson; K99 AG073509: Falzarano; T32 AG049666; Prigerson/Falzarano], the National Institute of Mental Health [MH121886; Maciejewski/Prigerson].