title: Predicting chronic posttraumatic stress disorder in bereaved relatives: a 6-month follow-up study.
abstract: The objectives of the present study were to examine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to identify predicative risk factors for PTSD in bereaved people after a terminal illness. Fifty-four persons (mean age 60 years) participated in the study. Demographic, peritraumatic, and psychosocial factors were assessed in order to identify variables that affected PTSD severity. Six months after the loss, 21.6 % of the subjects had PTSD, an 8.6 % decrease from PTSD measured one month after the loss. Intake of medicine after the loss, place of death, not having a close intimate, negative affectivity, and the A2 criterion predicted 65 % of PTSD severity. A considerable number of the bereaved were still at great risk for developing PTSD six months after loss.
authors.affiliation: 1National Centre for Psychotraumatology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej, Denmark.
authors.forename: Tina E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.forename: Ask
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elklit
authors.forename: Karen-Inge
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Karstoft
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001601:Bereavement; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: A2; PTSD; bereavement; negative affectivity; palliative care; social support