Prolonged grief and depression in caregivers of patients in vegetative state

Methods and procedures: Forty-five caregivers of 41 patients in vegetative or minimally conscious state in-hospital for long-term care. The questionnaire Prolonged Grief 12 (PG-12) assessed the presence of Prolonged Grief Disorder; the Depression Questionnaire (DQ) assessed the presence of a clinically significant depressive state. Main outcomes and results: Three conditions of psychiatric illness emerged: Prolonged Grief Disorder only (n = 9; 20%), depression only (n = 7; 15.5%) and Prolonged Grief Disorder together with depression (n = 7; 15.5%). There was no association (V = 0.203) between diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder and the presence of a clinically significant depressive state. Caregiver's syndromal-level grief was associated with patients' young age (p = 0.028) and with younger age of caregiver (p = 0.029). Caregiver's syndromal-level depression was associated with less time from the event (p = 0.003). Conclusions: Caregiver's grief symptoms are distinct from their depressive symptoms among family members and each disorder has distinct risk factors.