Mortality of bereavement.

Area of Science:

• Psychological Medicine
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Spousal bereavement is a significant life event associated with increased mortality risk.
• Previous studies have shown varied results regarding the impact of bereavement on mortality rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the mortality rates of widowers and widows in the two years following the death of their spouse.
• To examine if the location of spouse's death (hospital vs. home) influences the survivor's mortality and health.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study followed 87 widowers and 279 widows for two years post-bereavement.
• Mortality data was compared against expected rates from England and Wales life tables (1970-2).
• Health status was assessed based on the location of the deceased spouse's death.

Main Results:

• Actual deaths (9 men, 11 women) were not significantly different from expected deaths (6 men, 11 women).
• Widowers showed a trend towards higher mortality within the first six months of bereavement.
• No significant difference in mortality was observed based on whether the spouse died in a hospital or at home.

Conclusions:

• Overall mortality risk following spousal bereavement is not significantly elevated in the studied cohort.
• Widowers may face a heightened mortality risk in the immediate period following loss.
• The health of the surviving spouse may be poorer if the deceased spouse died in a hospital setting.