Who needs bereavement support? A population based survey of bereavement risk and support need.

This study identifies and describes the profiles of bereavement risk and support needs of a community sample in Australia and tests the fit of the data with the three-tiered public health model for bereavement support. Family members who were bereaved 6-24 months prior to the survey and who were clients of four funeral providers participated. A postal survey was used and the questionnaire included a validated risk assessment screening measure for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PG-13). 678 bereaved people responded with 68% having experienced a relative’s expected death. Very close to the model prediction, 58.4% of the sample had low bereavement risk, 35.2% moderate risk, and 6.4% high risk. The analysis of the demographic characteristics, experience and impact of caring and bereavement, and satisfaction with support received from a variety of sources revealed differential experiences and needs that align with the expectation of low, moderate, and high bereavement support need, as articulated in the public health model. This is the first empirical test of the public health model of bereavement support. As there is a lack of clear evidence to guide development and allocation of bereavement support programs, the findings have the potential to inform the ability of services (including palliative care), community organizations and informal networks to prioritize care according to each level of bereavement support need, a step fit for the future to better shared bereavement care.