Objectives of the study In this prospective, controlled cohort study12 the aim was to explicate the mechanism of the increased cardiovascular risk early in bereavement. As such psychological distress (depression, anxiety and anger), behavioural changes (sleep, appetite, smoking and alcohol consumption) and physical assessment (body mass index, waist circumference, cortisol and cholesterol) in bereaved spouses and parents were evaluated prospectively. Setting and sample Participants were recruited from five hospitals in the Sydney metropolitan area and the final sample included 62 recently bereaved and 50 non-bereaved participants. Bereaved participants were recruited from critical care areas where their family member (spouse/partner or child) had become deceased. Non-bereaved participants were family members of hospital users (inpatients or outpatients) from areas within the hospital where the stress associated with their family member's admission was less likely to be acute. Method Data collection occurred at 2 weeks and again at 6 months and was extensive, included sociodemographic, physical and psychological data