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The long-term impact of bereavement upon spouse health: a 10-year follow-up

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Michael P. Jones ,
Roger W. Bartrop ,
Lina Forcier  and
Ronald Penny
Michael P. Jones*
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia
Roger W. Bartrop
Affiliation:
Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
Lina Forcier
Affiliation:
Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, New South Wales, Australia
Ronald Penny
Affiliation:
St Vincents Clinic, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
*
Associate Professor Michael Jones, Psychology Department, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales 2109, Australia. Tel: +61 2 9850 8601; Fax: +61 2 9850 8062; E-mail: mike.jones@psy.mq.edu.au
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Abstract

Jones MP, Bartrop RW, Forcier L, Penny R. The long-term impact of bereavement upon spouse health: a 10-year follow-up.

Objectives:

This study is the first to examine the effect of bereavement of a first-degree family member on subsequent morbidity over a 10-year follow-up period.

Methods:

A sample of bereaved subjects (n = 72) were compared with a control group (n = 80) recruited in the same period with respect to morbidity experience during follow-up. Morbidity events were ascertained from the subject themselves, their health care providers and these sources were also compared.

Results:

Bereavement was associated with an elevated total burden of illness as well as with mental health and circulatory system categories diagnosed according to the International Classification of Diseases - Clinically Modified (ICD-9) classification system. The elevation ranged from approximately 20% for any illness to 60–100% among circulatory system disorders. Although in an earlier study there was a downregulation of T-cell function in the bereaved during the first 8 weeks, there was no evidence that the bereavement was associated with increased morbidity in the respiratory or immune system ICD-9 categories long-term.

Conclusions:

Past epidemiological research has indicated that bereavement of a close family member is associated with adverse health consequences of a generalised morbidity. Our study suggests an increase in mental health and circulatory system effects in particular. Further research is required to determine whether other systems are also affected by bereavement.

Keywords

adultgriefhealth consequencesmorbidityspouse bereavement10-year follow-up
Type
Acknowledgment
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 22 , Issue 5 , October 2010 , pp. 212 - 217
Copyright
Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S

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