Title: Early Predictors and Longitudinal Course of Covid-19 Related Grief: A Longitudinal Online Study
This study aims to examine the mental health of individuals who lost a loved one to COVID-19. Ultimately, this research will help better understand the long-term impact of grief due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so that providers may be better equipped to treat those who are distressed.
We are asking you to take part in this study because you have indicated that you experienced the loss of a loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic. We expect up to 500 bereaved individuals will participate in this study. As a part of this study, we will ask you to complete an online survey that will take less than 30min. In addition, we will send you follow-up surveys that will take about 15 minutes to complete, up to 8 times over the course of the next two years.
You may experience boredom, or mild and transient discomfort associated with answering questions related to your loss and associated symptoms.
Please note that the study team will not be monitoring your responses as you take the survey. If you are experiencing a psychiatric emergency, please go to your nearest emergency room or call 911.
During this study, we will collect some personal information about you in the online surveys, such as your age, gender, and circumstances surrounding your loss. However, we will not collect any identifying information except for your email address. We will not have any information about you that you do not provide directly. Your email address will be substituted with a subject number in all databases so that identifying information is never kept with the data.
Participation in this research study is voluntary and you may drop out at any time. Deciding not to participate won’t affect medical care that you receive at Partners now or in the future, or any benefits you receive now or have a right to receive.
Eric Bui, M.D., Ph.D. is the person in charge of this research study. You can email him with any questions or concerns at tebui@mgh.harvard.edu or call him at 617-724-1412, or Monday through Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm.
If you want to speak with someone not directly involved in this research about your rights as a research subject, or any concerns or complaints you may have about the research, please contact the Partners Human Research Committee office. You can call them at 857-282-1900.