Prevalence of grief symptoms and disorders in the time of COVID‐19 pandemic: A meta‐analysis

Abstract

Millions of people worldwide are mourning the loss of loved ones due to the COVID-19 epidemic, which may adversely impact their mental health. This metaanalysis aimed to investigate pandemic grief symptoms and disorders for developing policy, practice, and research priorities. The databases of Cochrane, Embase, Ovid-MEDLINE, WHO COVID-19, NCBI SARS-CoV-2, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Science Direct were comprehensively searched until July 31, 2022. The Joanna Briggs Institute's and Hoy's criteria were used to evaluate the studies. A pooled prevalence was presented in a forest plot figure with a corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) and prediction interval. Between-study heterogeneity was measured using the I 2 and Q statistics. Variations in the prevalence estimates in different subgroups were examined by moderator meta-analysis. The search identified 3677 citations, of which 15 studies involving 9289 participants were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence rate of grief symptoms was 45.1% (95%CI: 32.6%-57.5%), and grief disorder was 46.4% (95%CI: 37.4%-55.5%). Grief symptoms were significantly higher in <6 months (45.8%; 95%CI: 26.3%-65.3%) compared to the period of more than 6 months. Unfortunately, moderator analyses for grief disorders could not be performed due to limited studies. The prevalence of grief problems during the pandemic was substantially higher than in non-pandemic conditions; therefore, it is crucial to strengthen bereavement support to reduce psychological distress. The results provide a foundation for nurses and healthcare workers to anticipate a heightened need for support and provision of bereavement care in the post-pandemic era.

Validation of the Pandemic Grief Risk Factors and Its Relationship With Work-Related Stress and Grief Reaction Among Healthcare Workers Who Witnessed Patient Deaths

“…The pooled prevalence rate of grief symptoms and disorder was determined to be 45.1% (95% confidence interval: 32.6% to 57.5%) and 46.4% (95% confidence interval: 37.4% to 55.5%), respectively. However, a significantly higher prevalence of grief symptoms and disorder was observed among healthcare workers, amounting to 56.6% and 57.0%, respectively, 12 13 14 and 57.6% of the study’s subjects were identified as experiencing complicated grief during the pandemic. 15 …”

What we know about grief intervention: a bibliometric analysis

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Pandemic Grief Reaction and Intolerance of Uncertainty on the Cognitive-Behavioral Model of COVID-Related Hypochondriasis Among Firefighters

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