Second Thoughts on the Lethal Aftermath of a Loss

This article discusses the results of a recently published study by Levav et al. on the mortality effects of parental bereavement. The negative findings of the reported research, in which the mortality risk of a large group of parents who lost a son in war or in accidents was compared with the mortality pattern of a control population, are somewhat surprising in view of evidence produced by studies on conjugal bereavement. The results cast doubt on the independent effects of grief on mortality in the aftermath of a highly valued loss. It is conceivable that the buffering effects of support provided by the spouse, obviously lost in conjugal bereavement but preserved following the death of a child, may help to explain the differential results. Additional highly focused research is needed.