TRAUMATIC GRIEF AS A RISK FACTOR FOR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL MORBIDITY

Objective: The aim of this study was to confirm and extend the author' s previous work indicating that symptoms of traumatic grief are predic tors of future physical and mental health outcomes. Method: The study group consisted of 150 future windows and widowers interviewed at the time of their spouse's hospital admission and at 6-week and 6-, 13-, a nd 25-month follow-ups. Traumatic grief was measured with a modified v ersion of the Grief Measurement Scale. Mental and physical health outc omes were assessed by self-report and interviewer evaluation. Survival analysis and linear and logistic regressions were used to determine t he risk for adverse mental and physical health outcomes posed by traum atic grief. Results: Survival and regression analyses indicated that t he presence of traumatic grief symptoms approximately 6 months after t he death of the spouse predicted such negative health outcomes as canc er, heart trouble, high blood pressure, suicidal ideation, and changes in eating habits at 13- or 25-month follow up. Conclusions: The resul ts suggest that it may not be the stress of bereavement, per se, that puts individuals at risk for long-term mental and physical health impa irments and adverse health behaviors. Rather, it appears that psychiat ric sequelae such as traumatic grief health behaviors. Rather, it appe ars that psychiatric sequelae such as traumatic grief are of critical importance in determining which bereaved individuals will be at risk f or long-term dysfunction.