BEREAVEMENT AND COVID-19: PREVALENCE, COMORBIDITY, AND ASSOCIATED FEATURES AMONG UKRAINIAN SAMPLE.

Abstract

The aim: To examine the features of experiences of bereavement reactions and the severity of comorbid mental health problems in persons who lost loved ones during the pandemic. Materials and methods: 191 volunteers aged 18-60 years participated in this study. All participants were tested during 2018-2020. To assess the mental health problems was used International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and a set of IAPT scales; to the psycho-emotional distress severity associated with loss of loved ones - Inventory of Complicated Grief, with verification of symptoms of complicated grief based on an independent assessment of two experts; and the quality of life satisfaction was assessed by the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire, Short Form. Results: The results show an association between the severity of symptoms of depression, general anxiety, social avoidance, and loss during the pandemic. The level of psycho-emotional distress was associated with the experience of bereavement as a traumatic event for a group of participants who experienced loss during the pandemic and, at the same time, before the pandemic was associated with the severity of depression. Regardless of the time of loss, people who demonstrated signs of complicated grief have a more pronounced comorbid psychopathology, a higher level of psycho-emotional distress, and a lower level of satisfaction with life quality. Conclusions: It has been established that a person's ability to experience loss as a traumatic experience and grieve during the pandemic is modified with the context of the life situation and reflects those challenges that impose quarantine restrictions.