Spousal bereavement--implications for health

Bereavement is a potential medical problem as it has implications for health through possible associations with morbidity and mortality.

The aim of the present study was to ascertain if spousal bereavement is associated with physical and psychological parameters of illness.

A spousal bereavement register was created at a village general practice in the West Midlands of 122 spouses (4.9% of the practice population). After exclusion of 22, a sample of 100 had their medical records analysed for the periods of 12 months before and after bereavement.

Between these two periods, the average number of consultations increased from 5.99 to 7.60 (P = 0.01), where the vast majority were for physical illness. Mean number of prescriptions increased from 8.54 to 9.15 per patient (P = 0.8) for physical illness and from 0.76 to 1.34 (P = 0.09) for psychological illness.

Bereavement can be viewed as a medical problem, but this is not borne out in prescribing and so care should be taken not to over-medicalize grief.