Bereavement: a protocol for primary care.

Bereavement is experiencing a loss, particularly of a loved one, which leads to a natural cycle of grief that has recognized psychological stages. Even though bereavement does not fit the criteria for the biomedical model of disease, it is a medical problem as there is a resultant morbidity and increased mortality associated with the surviving intimates. A bereavement protocol, which could minimize the effects of bereavement, is proposed for organized care by the primary health care team in this neglected area for health promotion.