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Conjugal Bereavement amongst the Huli People of Papua New Guinea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Stephen Frankel  and
David Smith
Stephen Frankel
Affiliation:
Clare Hall, Cambridge, CB3 9AL
David Smith
Affiliation:
Institute of Medical Research, PO Box Goroka, Papua New Guinea
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Summary

The Huli people of the Southern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea mourn in culturally patterned ways that differ for men and women. One difference is that women are expected to express their emotions, while men are discouraged from doing so. In this study the mortality of bereaved spouses was determined by following 100 widowers and 208 widows for four years following their bereavements. Widowers showed an excess mortality in the first year following bereavement while widows showed no such tendency. The possible relationship between these findings and Huli mourning practices is discussed.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 141 , Issue 3 , September 1982 , pp. 302 - 305
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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