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People in same-gender relationships have greater psychological distress than those in mixed-gender relationships following the death of a partner, according to new research.
The research from King’s College London, which was published in Psychological Medicine, was funded by the end of life charity Marie Curie. It compared, for the first time, the experiences of bereaved people from same-gender couples with mixed-gender couples.
They discovered that the intensity of grief was high for both groups, however, bereaved people who were in a same-gender couple had, on average, significantly higher levels of psychological distress, which was described by the researchers as including low mood, poor concentration and sleep, and low self-esteem.
Poor mental health outcomes after bereavement for LGBTQ+ people may be attributed to services that do not meet their needs, or people accessing services late due to fears of discrimination based on historic experiences of health and social care.
Higher risk of mental health issues resulting from a bereavement
Dr Katherine Bristowe at King’s College London who led on the study, said: “Losing the person you planned to spend the rest of your life with, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation, impacts on every aspect of your life. But for LGBTQ+ people there is also a greater severity of psychological distress, adding to the burden of their grief.
“The legacy of exclusion, stigma and discrimination experienced by LGBTQ+ people in the healthcare system means people may avoid reaching out for help, or it is possible that providers of bereavement and mental health support are not recognising those who are most in need.”
The researchers concluded that clinical and bereavement services should refine screening processes to identify those at risk of poor mental health outcomes after partner bereavement and be alert to the increased risks to LGBTQ+ people.
Matt Williams, Head of Information and Support at Marie Curie, added: “It’s heart-breaking when we receive calls from people who have been struggling alone after the death of their partner. By this time, many people’s mental health is bad and some are at crisis point having spent months feeling isolated.
“People will always grieve for those they love. That is natural and we cannot stop that. But more must be done to get extra help to those who need it, and to proactively help people at a higher risk of mental health issues resulting from a bereavement. No one should have to hide who they are or be made to feel that they are alone because of who they love.”