Mourning in the time of coronavirus: Examining how grief differs in those who lost loved ones to COVID-19 vs. natural causes in Iran.

Objectives: Our study aimed to analyze and compare the grief experiences of individuals in Iran who lost family members to COVID-19 and those who lost loved ones to other natural causes.

Methods: In this study, telephone interviews were conducted with 640 first-degree relatives, and finally, a total of 395 people remained in the research. Participants answered the Prolonged Grief Questionnaire (PG-13-R) and Grief Experience Questionnaire.

Results: The results showed that the most common symptoms and features of grief were feeling guilt, searching for an explanation, somatic reactions, and rejection, with no significant difference observed between the 2 death groups. However, the average scores for these symptoms were higher in the COVID-19 death group. Moreover, the majority of bereaved reported signs and symptoms of prolonged grief, with a higher percentage in the COVID-19 death group, although there was no significant difference between the 2 death groups in terms of the distribution of symptoms and signs of prolonged grief. These findings suggest that the bereavement process can be challenging, and losing a loved one to COVID-19 may lead to more intense experiences of grief.

Significance of results: The study reveals high levels of guilt, searching for meaning, somatic reactions, and rejection among COVID-19 grievers. Losing loved ones to the pandemic appears linked to more intense, prolonged grief symptoms.