Predictors of Bereavement among the Bereaved Elderly in Community of Bangkok, Thailand

Background: The elderly experience a variety of problems as a result of physical and psychological decline, which may be exacerbated by grief suffered after bereavement. Few studies exist concerning the bereavement of the elderly in Thailand. Objective: To assess the predictors of bereavement among the bereaved elderly in community of Bangkok, Thailand. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Eastern zone of Bangkok, Thailand. A purposive technique was employed to select study participants. One hundred elderly people aged 60 to 80 years, bereaved within the past six months and with a score of 25 or greater on the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), were recruited to the study. Face-to-face interviews using questionnaires were performed for 30 minutes. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of bereavement in the bereaved elderly. Results: All of the participants had ICG scores of 33 to 71 (52.32±8.15). Multiple regression analysis revealed that two or four predictors of bereavement such as relationship with the deceased and duration of death significantly predicted bereavement at a level of 73.6% (adjusted R²=0.428, F=6.160, p<0.001). Conclusion: The present study showed more than one predictor of bereavement affecting the bereaved elderly. The finding had implications for healthcare professionals and policymakers concerning managing healthy aging in the elderly population.