Sage Palliative Medicine & Chronic Care

This episode features Dr Fiona Kenney and Koby Anderson, (Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada)   What is already known about the topic? Previous research demonstrates a high prevalence of severe grief symptoms up to a year post-death of a loved one among those who experienced bereavement during the COVID-19 pandemic. No previous study has assessed changes in the severity of grief more than a year after the death of a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic.   What this paper adds? This prospective cohort follow-up study found the prevalence of severe grief reaction remained high (28.8%) at 12–18 months post- family member death. One-third (33.3%) of family members experienced persistently high or worsening grief symptoms at the time of their 12–18-month assessment compared to baseline 6–12-month assessment. Grief severity was associated with endotracheal intubation in the deceased, but not with the cause of death (e.g., COVID vs non-COVID ill