Prevalence, Correlates, and Psychiatric Burden of Prolonged Grief Disorder in U.S. Military Veterans: Results From a Nationally Representative Study.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the point prevalence and correlates of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in a nationally-representative sample of United States (U.S.) veterans.

METHODS

Data were analyzed from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study, a nationally representative study of 2,441 U.S. veterans.

RESULTS

A total of 158 (weighted 7.3%) veterans screened positive for PGD. The strongest correlates of PGD were adverse childhood experiences, female sex, non-natural causes of death, knowing someone who died from coronavirus disease 2019, and number of close losses. After adjusting for sociodemographic, military, and trauma variables, veterans with PGD were 5-to-9 times more likely to screen positive for post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. After additional adjustment for current psychiatric and substance use disorders, they were 2-3 times more likely to endorse suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

CONCLUSIONS

Results underscore the importance of targeting PGD as an independent risk factor for psychiatric disorders and suicide risk.