title: Prevalence of complicated grief in a representative population-based sample.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Complicated grief (CG) has been proposed as a distinct diagnostic category in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). However, few epidemiological studies to date have measured CG in the general population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prevalence of CG, sociodemographic characteristics, and grief-related factors were examined in a representative population-based survey (N = 2520) through face-to-face contact. The sample included all bereaved subpopulations and all age groups from 14 to 95 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The conditional prevalence of developing CG after major bereavement was 6.7%; the prevalence of CG in the general sample was 3.7%. Predictors of higher risk for developing CG were female gender, lower income (< €1250/month), older age (> 61 years), having lost a child or a spouse, or cancer as the cause of death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sample of bereaved people was small, and some categories contained very few cases. Psychiatric comorbidities were not assessed in this study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that CG is prevalent in the population, and risk factors were identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Anette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kersting
authors.forename: Elmar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brähler
authors.forename: Heide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Glaesmer
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wagner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001601:Bereavement; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult