Prolonged Grief Disorder: Key Statistics

Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is a recognised mental health condition where the acute pain of bereavement remains intense, persistent, and debilitating long after a loss, severely impairing daily life. Officially added to the DSM-5-TR in 2022, and recognised internationally in the ICD-11 (code 6B42), its diagnosis gives legitimacy to a unique and severe form of suffering that goes beyond the typical grieving process.

While grief is universal, the circumstances of a loss can dramatically increase the risk of developing this disorder. After unnatural loss (accident, disaster, suicide, homicide) a meta-analysis pooled prevalence at 49%, on a confidence interval running from 34% to 65%.⁷ After non-violent bereavement the pooled figure is 9.8%.⁶ Both reviews predate the DSM-5-TR criteria and drew on studies using different grief instruments, so they show a difference in magnitude rather than two directly comparable rates. Most bereaved people do not develop it. Grief symptoms usually ease over time and do not call for treatment.¹ The diagnosis exists for the smaller group whose grief stays disabling, and it is only made when the death was at least a year ago for an adult, or six months for a child.

Overall Prevalence and General Numbers

• General Adult Prevalence: The American Psychiatric Association puts it at 4-15% of bereaved adults. The range is wide because the figure moves with the criteria and the instrument a study uses.¹
• Global Average: A 2024 cross-national analysis found an average PGD prevalence of 13% across all samples. However, in more representative probability samples the rate was 5% . Both figures rest on DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 criteria across 34 samples in 16 countries.⁴
• Recent US Data: A 2024 US study found a presumptive PGD prevalence of 20.4% among bereaved adults in a web-based survey, The instrument was the PG-13-R scored against DSM-5-TR criteria, on a paid online panel rather than a population sample, so read it as an upper-end estimate.²
• Prevalence in Youth: Estimates for bereaved children and adolescents run from 1.2-6.7% in German samples to 3.4-12.4% in Dutch samples.³

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Breakdown by Key Demographics

• By Age Group:
  • Higher mean age went with higher PGD prevalence across the studies pooled in the 2017 meta-analysis.⁶
  • The findings below come from a survey of 20,453 Norwegian adults aged 40 and over. It asked a single screening question about severe grief reactions rather than applying PGD criteria, so read it as a signal about who struggles most, not as a diagnosis rate.⁵
• By Gender:
  • Women reported severe grief more often than men, across every time-since-loss band in that survey.⁵
  • Caregivers, who are often women, are also at higher risk.
• By Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors:
  • Severe grief was overrepresented among respondents with low education and low income, and among Sami, Kven and other minority-ethnic respondents.⁵
  • Critically, most PGD diagnostic criteria are based on Western populations, and there is a need for more transcultural research to understand grief's expression across different cultures.

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Co-occurrence and Related Conditions

• Co-morbidity with other Disorders: The same US survey measured prolonged grief, PTSD and depression side by side across all 1,529 bereaved respondents:²
  • 33.9% met criteria for PTSD.
  • 30.2% met criteria for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
  • 28.8% met criteria for at least two co-occurring conditions, so these presentations overlap heavily rather than sitting apart.
• Sleep Disruption: Sleep problems are a major feature. Across 105 adults treated for complicated grief, mean sleep quality sat well inside the clinically poor range, with trouble falling asleep, broken sleep and nightmares all common.⁸
• Link to Traumatic Loss: The nature of the death is one of the strongest predictors. The risk of PGD, PTSD, and MDD is greatest among those who experience the traumatic loss of a psychologically close person.
• Other Key Risk Factors:
  • A personal history of depression or bipolar disorder.
  • Being a caregiver for the deceased person, especially with pre-loss depression.

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The Most Serious Consequences

• Functional Impairment: By definition, PGD causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
• Health and Healthcare Use:
  • Severe grief reactions are associated with poorer self-reported physical and mental health.
  • Those with severe grief are also shown to have increased use of health services, indicating a higher burden on the healthcare system.
• Risk of Suicidality: While not a core symptom, the intense emotional pain and hopelessness of PGD, especially when co-occurring with depression and PTSD, can increase the risk of suicidal ideation. Support lifelines are a critical resource.

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The Positive Outlook and Solutions

• Effectiveness of Interventions: Evidence-based treatments are available. Treatments using elements of cognitive behavioural therapy have been found effective, including Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy, which works on accepting the reality of the loss and on rebuilding a life alongside it.¹
  Access to Solutions: A significant barrier remains. Many with PGD, particularly caregivers, may not access mental health services. Furthermore, there is a global lack of therapists trained in PGD, highlighting a need for more accessible care models.
• Coping and Support:
  • Professional Help: Seeking support from a healthcare provider or counsellor is key.
  • Social Support: Talking with friends, family, or joining bereavement support groups can be very helpful.
  • Maintaining Routines: Creating structure, including regular sleep schedules and healthy eating, can provide a sense of control and stability.

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Conclusion

Prolonged Grief Disorder is a serious and impairing condition affecting a significant minority of the bereaved, with rates escalating dramatically following traumatic loss. Its strong association with other mental health disorders and its impact on daily functioning underscore its public health relevance. While barriers to care exist, the development of effective, evidence-based treatments and coping strategies provides a clear path toward healing and recovery.

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Sources

• [1] American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2022). Prolonged Grief Disorder.
• [2] Rheingold AA, Williams JL, et al. (2024). Prevalence and Co-Occurrence of Psychiatric Conditions Among Bereaved Adults. JAMA Network Open.
• [3] Hilberdink CE, Ghainder K, et al. (2023). Bereavement issues and prolonged grief disorder: A global perspective. Global Mental Health (Cambridge).
• [4] Comtesse H, Smid GE, et al. (2024). Cross-national analysis of the prevalence of prolonged grief disorder. Journal of Affective Disorders.
• [5] Thimm JC, Kristoffersen AE, & Ringberg U. (2020). The prevalence of severe grief reactions after bereavement and their associations with mental health, physical health, and health service utilisation. European Journal of Psychotraumatology.
• [6] Lundorff, M., Holmgren, H., Zachariae, R., Farver-Vestergaard, I., & O’Connor, M. (2017). Prevalence of prolonged grief disorder in adult bereavement: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. (Pooled prevalence 9.8% after natural loss.)
• [7] Djelantik, A. A. A. M. J., Smid, G. E., Mroz, A., Kleber, R. J., & Boelen, P. A. (2020). The prevalence of prolonged grief disorder in bereaved individuals following unnatural losses: Systematic review and meta regression analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. (Pooled prevalence 49% after unnatural loss.)
• [8] Germain A, Caroff K, Buysse DJ, & Shear MK. (2005). Sleep quality in complicated grief. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 18(4), 343-346.

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