Grief and Depression Among Bereaved Parents Who Have Lost an Adult Child to Cancer: A National Death Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Background:

Parents who have lost their children to death often experience high levels of grief and depression. However, studies on the grief and depression experienced by parents who have lost an adult child to cancer are scarce.

Objectives:

To clarify the risk and characteristics of grief and depression in parents who have lost an adult child to cancer.

Design:

A nationwide mortality follow-back survey was conducted in Japan with participants identified using death certificate data for cancer. Between February 2019 and February 2020, a questionnaire was distributed to 110,990 bereaved family members; 60,797(63.1%) responses were received, and 50,639 were analyzed.

Setting/Subjects:

The participants included Japanese bereaved families who lost a family member between 2017 and 2018, that is, 13–25 months before initiating this study. At the time of their child’s death, the parents were the primary caregivers.

Measurements:

Data on key factors such as patient and bereaved family background, family caregiving burden, and bereaved family grief and depression were collected.

Results:

Bereaved parents who had lost their adult children had a higher likelihood of experiencing grief and depression than those who had lost other family members (adjusted odds ratio: 2.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.71, 2.34). Furthermore, factors such as motherhood and death at home increased the likelihood of grief and depression among bereaved parents.

Conclusions:

The results suggest that early support is needed for mothers experiencing strong grief and depression, as well as for parents whose adult children die at home.