Bereavement and long-term morbidity: an Australian project

Roger W. Bartrop, Lina Forcier, Mike Jones, Rosie Kubb, Elizabeth Luckhurst, Ronald Penny

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

spouse-bereaved subjects who had participated in earlier bereavement studies volunteered to allow investigation of their health up to eleven years after the death of their spouse. Re-enrolled controls were also studied over a similar period. Morbidity was measured in three ways: self-reports from the subjects, data obtained from medical records, and morbidity data common to both sources (confirmed data). The findings showed that the bereaved had an elevation in morbidity rate over non-bereaved, which was both substantial and statistically significant. Diseases of the circulatory system were significantly more common in the bereaved, as were psychiatric disorders in all data sources. Furthermore, bereaved had more respiratory and musculo-skeletal system illnesses according to the self-report source. Overall, more bereaved than controls suffered at least one illness, and had illnesses of a longer duration. Bereaved with a high level of morbidity in the two years following bereavement also had more illnesses in later years.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationBehaviour and immunity
EditorsAlan J Husband
PublisherCRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group
Pages137-154
Number of pages18
ISBN (Print)0-8493-0199-8
Publication statusPublished - 19 Nov 1990
Externally publishedYes
EventSCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE AUSTRALIAN BEHAVIOURAL IMMUNOLOGY GROUP - NEWCASTLE, Australia
Duration: 10 Nov 1990 → …

Conference

ConferenceSCIENTIFIC MEETING OF THE AUSTRALIAN BEHAVIOURAL IMMUNOLOGY GROUP
Country/TerritoryAustralia
CityNEWCASTLE
Period10/11/90 → …

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