Prevalence and correlates of ICD-11 prolonged grief disorder among adults living in Ukraine during the war with Russia

Redican, Enya; Hyland, Philip; Shevlin, Mark; Martsenkovskyi, Dmytro; Karatzias, Thanos; Ben-Ezra, Menachem

Abstract

Background: Although high rates of bereavement are evident in war-affected populations, no study has investigated the prevalence and correlates of probable ICD-11 Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) under these circumstances.

Methods: Participants were 2050 adults who participated in a nationwide survey exploring the effects of Ukraine-Russia war on the daily lives and mental health of Ukrainian people.

Results: Of the total sample, 87.7% (n = 1,797) of people indicated a lifetime bereavement. In the full sample, 11.4% met the diagnostic requirements for probable ICD-11 PGD, and amongst those with a lifetime bereavement, the conditional rate of probable ICD-11 PGD was 13.0%. Significant risk factors of ICD-11 PGD included the recent loss of a loved one (6 months to a year ago), being most affected by a partner or spouse’s death, loved one dying in the war, no recent contact with the deceased prior to their death, and meeting depression and anxiety diagnostic requirements.

Conclusion: The study reveals that a significant percentage of Ukrainian bereaved individuals have probable ICD-11 PGD, and identifying risk factors, particularly war-related losses, will aid in the development of intervention and prevention programs for bereaved adults.

Citation

Redican, E., Hyland, P., Shevlin, M., Martsenkovskyi, D., Karatzias, T., & Ben-Ezra, M. (2024). Prevalence and correlates of ICD-11 prolonged grief disorder among adults living in Ukraine during the war with Russia. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 149(5), 425-435. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13678

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 18, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Mar 16, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024-05
• Deposit Date: Feb 19, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 17, 2025
• Print ISSN: 0001-690X
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 149
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 425-435
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13678
• Keywords: grief, international classification of diseases, prevalence, prolonged grief disorder, risk factors, war
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3516960