TY - JOUR
T1 - Bereavement Among Adult Siblings: An Examination of Health Services Utilization and Mental Health Outcomes
AU - Gazibara, Tatjana
AU - Ornstein, Katherine A
AU - Gillezeau, Christina
AU - Aldridge, Melissa
AU - Groenvold, Mogens
AU - Nordentoft, Merete
AU - Thygesen, Lau Caspar
N1 - © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: [email protected].
PY - 2021/12/1
Y1 - 2021/12/1
N2 - We aimed to examine the association of young and middle-aged sibling bereavement with use of health services and risk of developing mental health disorders over 24 months before and after sibling's death. All persons aged 18-56 years who died of illness/natural causes between 2009 and 2016 were identified in the Danish Register of Causes of Death. The study sample included 31,842 bereaved siblings and 31,842 age- and sex-matched controls. Overall, the largest effect was observed for increased use of psychological services: For women, the peak was observed 4-6 months after the death (odds ratio (OR) = 3.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.85, 3.85) and for men in the first 3 months after the death (OR = 2.63, 95% CI: 2.06, 3.36). The peak of being diagnosed in a hospital setting with any mental disorder for women was observed in the period 13-15 months after sibling death (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.07) and for men in the first 3 months after the death (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.32). Young and middle-aged adults who experienced the death of a sibling are more likely to use health services and are at risk of poorer mental health outcomes. During the bereavement process, young and middle-aged siblings are especially in need of mental health support, such as professional psychological counseling.
AB - We aimed to examine the association of young and middle-aged sibling bereavement with use of health services and risk of developing mental health disorders over 24 months before and after sibling's death. All persons aged 18-56 years who died of illness/natural causes between 2009 and 2016 were identified in the Danish Register of Causes of Death. The study sample included 31,842 bereaved siblings and 31,842 age- and sex-matched controls. Overall, the largest effect was observed for increased use of psychological services: For women, the peak was observed 4-6 months after the death (odds ratio (OR) = 3.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.85, 3.85) and for men in the first 3 months after the death (OR = 2.63, 95% CI: 2.06, 3.36). The peak of being diagnosed in a hospital setting with any mental disorder for women was observed in the period 13-15 months after sibling death (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.11, 2.07) and for men in the first 3 months after the death (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.32). Young and middle-aged adults who experienced the death of a sibling are more likely to use health services and are at risk of poorer mental health outcomes. During the bereavement process, young and middle-aged siblings are especially in need of mental health support, such as professional psychological counseling.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Bereavement
KW - Comorbidity
KW - Denmark/epidemiology
KW - Female
KW - Health Services/statistics & numerical data
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Mental Health/statistics & numerical data
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data
KW - Sex Factors
KW - Siblings/psychology
KW - Socioeconomic Factors
KW - Young Adult
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122488748&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/aje/kwab212
DO - 10.1093/aje/kwab212
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34343247
SN - 0002-9262
VL - 190
SP - 2571
EP - 2581
JO - American Journal of Epidemiology
JF - American Journal of Epidemiology
IS - 12
ER -