The emotional and economic costs of bereavement in health care settings

Abstract

Research to date on grief and bereavement in health care providers has focused on those experiences from the perspective of the individual. We propose, however, that the emotional costs of bereavement in the health care setting are also health care systems issues. This paper focuses on the emotional costs of grief and bereavement in health care providers, and on the economic costs of bereavement and bereavement care in health care settings. Evidence regarding the costs and cost-effectiveness of bereavement interventions is limited. We summarise existing relevant research and offer an overview of the types of costs and cost information that would optimally be collected in research on bereavement in health care settings. We also propose an analytic framework that could be used to systematically consider the larger picture of bereavement in health care settings, how available evidence fits into this picture, and what evidence is needed to improve care. This approach is derived from health services research. It is hoped that the proposed framework will prove useful in stimulating new research questions, and in guiding research that not only advances our understanding of the emotional and economic costs of bereavement but also improves bereavement care.