TY - JOUR
T1 - The Impact of Stressful Life Events after Bereavement
T2 - A Nationwide Cross-sectional Survey
AU - Shimizu, Yoichi
AU - Masukawa, Kento
AU - Aoyama, Maho
AU - Morita, Tatsuya
AU - Kizawa, Yoshiyuki
AU - Tsuneto, Satoru
AU - Shima, Yasuo
AU - Miyashita, Mitsunori
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. This study was part of Japan Hospice and Palliative Evaluation study 4, funded by the Japan Hospice Palliative Care Foundation. The English proofreading fee was also supported by the Grant for Research Advancement on Palliative Medicine, Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine (No.1607). The authors thank the family members of the bereaved and all institutions that participated in this survey as well as Hospice Palliative Care Japan for their cooperation.
Funding Information:
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. This study was part of Japan Hospice and Palliative Evaluation study 4, funded by the Japan Hospice Palliative Care Foundation. The English proofreading fee was also supported by the Grant for Research Advancement on Palliative Medicine, Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine ( No.1607 ). The authors thank the family members of the bereaved and all institutions that participated in this survey as well as Hospice Palliative Care Japan for their cooperation.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Context: Bereaved family members sometimes experience distress due to stressful life events. However, the effects of this distress on depression and grief remain unclear. Objectives: To clarify the degree of distress due to postbereavement stressful life events, its associated factors, especially social isolation, and its effects on major depressive disorder (MDD) and complicated grief (CG) risks among bereaved family members of patients with cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2018 as part of the J-HOPE4 study. We recruited 1740 bereaved family members of patients with cancer who died from July to August of 2018. We assessed distress due to postbereavement stressful life events with the Bereavement Secondary Stressor Scale, social isolation with the Lubben Social Network Scale Short-Form, and the MDD and CG risk with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Brief Grief Questionnaire, respectively. Results: Among the 913 (52.5%) respondents, 88%, 57%, 46%, 28%, and 19% experienced distress due to incidental tasks, daily life difficulties, financial problems, problems with other people, and deterioration of family relationships, respectively. More distress was associated with higher risks of MDD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.5, P < 0.01) and CG (OR = 2.5, P < 0.01). Social isolation and specific backgrounds were associated with more distress in response to stressful life events. Conclusion: Most family members experienced distress due to stressful life events, which were risk factors for MDD and CG. Assessing risk factors for maladaptation to post-bereavement life changes and enhancing readiness to adapt to them is important.
AB - Context: Bereaved family members sometimes experience distress due to stressful life events. However, the effects of this distress on depression and grief remain unclear. Objectives: To clarify the degree of distress due to postbereavement stressful life events, its associated factors, especially social isolation, and its effects on major depressive disorder (MDD) and complicated grief (CG) risks among bereaved family members of patients with cancer. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2018 as part of the J-HOPE4 study. We recruited 1740 bereaved family members of patients with cancer who died from July to August of 2018. We assessed distress due to postbereavement stressful life events with the Bereavement Secondary Stressor Scale, social isolation with the Lubben Social Network Scale Short-Form, and the MDD and CG risk with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Brief Grief Questionnaire, respectively. Results: Among the 913 (52.5%) respondents, 88%, 57%, 46%, 28%, and 19% experienced distress due to incidental tasks, daily life difficulties, financial problems, problems with other people, and deterioration of family relationships, respectively. More distress was associated with higher risks of MDD (odds ratio [OR] = 2.5, P < 0.01) and CG (OR = 2.5, P < 0.01). Social isolation and specific backgrounds were associated with more distress in response to stressful life events. Conclusion: Most family members experienced distress due to stressful life events, which were risk factors for MDD and CG. Assessing risk factors for maladaptation to post-bereavement life changes and enhancing readiness to adapt to them is important.
KW - Bereavement
KW - Depression
KW - Family caregivers
KW - Grief
KW - Palliative care
KW - Social isolation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85146465027&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85146465027&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.12.012
DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.12.012
M3 - Article
C2 - 36584737
AN - SCOPUS:85146465027
SN - 0885-3924
VL - 65
SP - 273
EP - 284
JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
IS - 4
ER -
