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. 2022;46(6):1287-1296.
doi: 10.1080/07481187.2022.2039326. Epub 2022 Feb 15.

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

James Gang, Francesca Falzarano  1 , Wan Jou She  1 , Hillary Winoker  1 , Holly G Prigerson  1
Affiliations

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

James Gang et al. Death Stud. 2022.

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.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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