Prolonged Grief in Siblings Bereaved by Drug-Related Death and Help Services Experiences

This research aimed to examine the need for help and levels of prolonged grief among adult siblings who have lost a brother or sister to a drug-related death. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on survey data from 77 siblings. Descriptive analyses, intercorrelations between study variables, multi-linear regression, and ANOVA were performed. The findings indicated that a plurality of siblings (n = 33) expressed a need for help but did not receive it, despite elevated symptoms of prolonged grief. Results showed that 33 (42.9%) of 77 participants received professional help, and most (78%) were satisfied with the help received. Forty-three (55.8%) of 77 participants did not receive professional help, and most (76.7%) reported they wanted help. One participant indicated being proactively contacted by professionals. Further results indicated that time since the death (ß = −.54, p < .001) and general self-efficacy (ß = −.33, p < .05), but not crisis social support, predicted higher levels of prolonged grief. The heterogeneity of the sample, which includes adult siblings aged 18–67, suggests that participants may have been at different life stages at the time of the death, highlighting the need for more nuanced research. Future studies should consider variables, such as the deceased’s age, the surviving siblings’ stages in life, and gender differences in grief responses. Notwithstanding this limitation, the findings underscore health needs among adults affected by a sibling’s drug-related death, warranting further attention from healthcare providers and support services to address the needs of this under-investigated population.