1
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Maccallum F, Breen LJ, Phillips JL, Agar MR, Hosie A, Tieman J, DiGiacomo M, Luckett T, Philip J, Ivynian S, Chang S, Dadich A, Grossman CH, Gilmore I, Harlum J, Kinchin I, Glasgow N, Lobb EA. The mental health of Australians bereaved during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic: a latent class analysis. Psychol Med 2024; 54:1361-1372. [PMID: 38179660 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723003227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted many areas of life, including culturally accepted practices at end-of-life care, funeral rites, and access to social, community, and professional support. This survey investigated the mental health outcomes of Australians bereaved during this time to determine how these factors might have impacted bereavement outcomes. METHODS An online survey indexing pandemic and bereavement experiences, levels of grief, depression, anxiety, and health, work, and social impairment. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify groups of individuals who shared similar symptom patterns. Multinomial regressions identified pandemic-related, loss-related, and sociodemographic correlates of class membership. RESULTS 1911 Australian adults completed the survey. The LCA identified four classes: low symptoms (46.8%), grief (17.3%), depression/anxiety (17.7%), and grief/depression/anxiety (18.2%). The latter group reported the highest levels of health, work, and social impairment. The death of a child or partner and an inability to care for the deceased due to COVID-19 public health measures were correlated with grief symptoms (with or without depression and anxiety). Preparedness for the person's death and levels of pandemic-related loneliness and social isolation differentiated all four classes. Unemployment was associated with depression/anxiety (with or without grief). CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 had profound impacts for the way we lived and died, with effects that are likely to ricochet through society into the foreseeable future. These lessons learned must inform policymakers and healthcare professionals to improve bereavement care and ensure preparedness during and following future predicted pandemics to prevent negative impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Maccallum
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - L J Breen
- School of Population Health and enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - J L Phillips
- Faculty of Health and Cancer and Palliative Care Outcomes Centre, School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - M R Agar
- Faculty of Health, IMPACCT Centre, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - A Hosie
- School of Nursing & Midwifery, University of Notre Dame Australia and St Vincent's Health Network Sydney, Australia
| | - J Tieman
- Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - M DiGiacomo
- Faculty of Health, IMPACCT Centre, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - T Luckett
- Faculty of Health, IMPACCT Centre, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - J Philip
- Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - S Ivynian
- Faculty of Health, IMPACCT Centre, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - S Chang
- Faculty of Health, IMPACCT Centre, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - A Dadich
- School of Business, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, Australia
| | - C H Grossman
- Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, Caulfield South, VIC, Australia
| | - I Gilmore
- Faculty of Health, IMPACCT Centre, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - J Harlum
- District Palliative Care Service, Liverpool Hospital, Liverpool, NSW, Australia
| | - I Kinchin
- Centre for Health Policy and Management, Trinity College, the University of Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - N Glasgow
- Australian National University College of Health and Medicine, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - E A Lobb
- Faculty of Health, IMPACCT Centre, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
- Department of Palliative Care, Calvary Health Care, Kogarah, NSW, Australia
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2
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Zammit T, Mancini VO, Reid C, Singer J, Staniland L, Breen LJ. Public stigma toward prolonged grief and COVID-19 bereavement: A vignette-based experiment. DEATH STUDIES 2024; 48:118-128. [PMID: 36976583 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2023.2192010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the effects of cause of death and the presence of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) on eliciting public stigma toward the bereaved. Participants (N = 328, 76% female; Mage = 27.55 years) were randomly assigned to read one of four vignettes describing a bereaved man. Each vignette differed by his PGD status (PGD diagnosis or no PGD diagnosis) and his wife's cause of death (COVID-19 or brain hemorrhage). Participants completed public stigma measures assessing negative attributions, desired social distance, and emotional reactions. Bereavement with PGD (versus without PGD) elicited large and significantly stronger responses across all stigma measures. Both causes of death elicited public stigma. There was no interaction between cause of death and PGD on stigma. With increased PGD rates expected during the pandemic, the potential for public stigma and reduced social support for people bereaved via traumatic deaths and people with PGD requires mitigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Zammit
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Vincent O Mancini
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- UWA Medical School, Division of Paediatrics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
- Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia
| | - Carly Reid
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Jonathan Singer
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Lexy Staniland
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Lauren J Breen
- Curtin School of Population Health, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
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3
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Caycho-Rodríguez T, Valencia PD, Vilca LW, Lee SA, Carbajal-León C, Vivanco-Vidal A, Saroli-Araníbar D, Reyes-Bossio M, White M, Rojas-Jara C, Polanco-Carrasco R, Gallegos M, Cervigni M, Martino P, Palacios DA, Moreta-Herrera R, Samaniego-Pinho A, Rivera MEL, Figares AB, Puerta-Cortés DX, Corrales-Reyes IE, Calderón R, Tapia BP, Ferrari IF, Flores-Mendoza C, Gallegos WLA. COVID-19 Bereavement in Ten Latin American Countries: Measurement Invariance of the Pandemic Grief Scale and Its Relation to Suicidal Ideation. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2023; 88:591-619. [PMID: 34666552 PMCID: PMC10647883 DOI: 10.1177/00302228211048566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the cross-cultural measurement invariance of the Pandemic Grief Scale (PGS) in ten Latin American countries. A total of 2,321 people who had lost a family member or other loved one due to COVID-19 participated, with a mean age of 34.22 years old (SD = 11.99). In addition to the PGS, a single item of suicidal ideation was applied. The unidimensional model of the PGS had adequate fit in most countries and good reliability estimates. There was evidence of measurement invariance by country and gender. Also, a one-point increase in the PGS was associated with an almost twofold increase in the odds of suicidal ideation. Scores greater than or equal to 4 on the PGS are proposed as a cut off to identify individuals with suicidal ideation. Strong evidence of the cross-cultural validity of the PGS is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomás Caycho-Rodríguez
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Privada del Norte, Universidad Privada del Norte, Lima, Perú
| | - Pablo D. Valencia
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tlanepantla de Baz, State of Mexico, Mexico
| | - Lindsey W. Vilca
- Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Perú
| | - Sherman A. Lee
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, United States
| | - Carlos Carbajal-León
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Privada del Norte, Universidad Privada del Norte, Lima, Perú
| | - Andrea Vivanco-Vidal
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
| | - Daniela Saroli-Araníbar
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
| | - Mario Reyes-Bossio
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
| | - Michel White
- Dirección General de Investigación, Universidad Peruana Unión, Universidad Peruana Unión, Lima, Perú
| | - Claudio Rojas-Jara
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Departamento de Psicología, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
| | | | - Miguel Gallegos
- Pontificia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brasil
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Mauricio Cervigni
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Privada del Norte, Universidad Privada del Norte, Lima, Perú
- Centro de Investigación en Neurociencias de Rosario, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | - Pablo Martino
- Centro de Investigación en Neurociencias de Rosario, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | | | - Rodrigo Moreta-Herrera
- Escuela de Psicología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Ambato, Ecuador
| | - Antonio Samaniego-Pinho
- Carrera de Psicología, Facultad de Filosofía, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Marlon Elías Lobos Rivera
- Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador, Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador, San Salvador, El Salvador
| | | | | | - Ibraín Enrique Corrales-Reyes
- Servicio de Cirugía Maxilofacial, Hospital General Universitario Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Granma, Bayamo, Granma, Cuba
| | - Raymundo Calderón
- Carrera de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Valle de México, Universidad del Valle de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Bismarck Pinto Tapia
- Carrera de Psicología, Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo, La Paz, Bolivia
| | | | - Carmen Flores-Mendoza
- Facultad de Filosofía y Ciencias Humanas. Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brasil
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Wang CH, Chen YK, Tsao SH, Lee CH. Trends in Palliative Care Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 2023; 40:1271-1278. [PMID: 36503251 PMCID: PMC9748525 DOI: 10.1177/10499091221145202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
To demonstrate the trends and variety of research on palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic. A systematic search of the Web of Science database. Since the outbroke of the COVID-19 pandemic, the adjustment of palliative care systems is warranted to maintain a high quality of care. The COVID-19 -related palliative care studies account for approximately 4% of all publications on palliative care. However, there is a dearth of research investigating the nature of these studies. A total of 293 studies were included. Of the included studies, those related to system improvement were the most common (181/293, 61.8%), followed by those related to patient care (79/293, 27.0%), bereavement support for patients or family members (19/293, 6.5%), and the mental health of frontline practitioners (14/293, 4.8%). From these studies, 82, 137, and 74 studies were published in 2020, 2021, and 2022 (until August 1), respectively. The research trends of palliative care demonstrate the flexibility and rapid response of the global palliative care system to the COVID-19 pandemic and show how the palliative care system is evolving. While most studies are interested in system improvement, patient care, and bereavement support, the mental health of frontline practitioners has received less attention. Our findings provide palliative care practitioners with current valuable information and highlight possible future trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Ho Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Kai Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Han Tsao
- Department of Urology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hsing Lee
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Keelung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Keelung, Taiwan
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5
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Castiglioni M, Caldiroli CL, Procaccia R, Conte F, Neimeyer RA, Zamin C, Paladino A, Negri A. The Up-Side of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are Core Belief Violation and Meaning Making Associated with Post-Traumatic Growth? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:5991. [PMID: 37297595 PMCID: PMC10252371 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20115991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been extensively documented, while its possible positive impact on the individual, defined as Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), has been much less investigated. The present study examines the association between PTG and socio-demographic aspects, pre-pandemic psychological adjustment, stressors directly linked to COVID-19 and four psychological factors theoretically implicated in the change processes (core belief violation, meaning-making, vulnerability and mortality perception). During the second wave of the pandemic 680 medical patients completed an online survey on direct and indirect COVID-19 stressors, health and demographic information, post-traumatic growth, core belief violation, meaning-making capacity, feelings of vulnerability and perceptions of personal mortality. Violation of core beliefs, feelings of vulnerability and mortality, and pre-pandemic mental illness positively correlated with post-traumatic growth. Moreover, the diagnosis of COVID-19, stronger violation of core beliefs, greater meaning-making ability, and lower pre-existing mental illness predicted greater PTG. Finally, a moderating effect of meaning-making ability was found. The clinical implications were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Castiglioni
- Department of Human Sciences “R. Massa”, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy;
| | | | | | - Federica Conte
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano Bicocca, 20126 Milano, Italy;
| | | | - Claudia Zamin
- Italian Society of Relationship Psychoanalysis, 20135 Milano, Italy
| | - Anna Paladino
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy (A.N.)
| | - Attà Negri
- Department of Human and Social Sciences, University of Bergamo, 24129 Bergamo, Italy (A.N.)
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6
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Lobos-Rivera ME, Flores-Monterrosa AN, Tejada-Rodríguez JC, Chacón-Andrade ER, Caycho-Rodríguez T, Lee SA, Valencia PD, Carbajal-León C, Vilca LW, Reyes-Bossio M, Gallegos M. Pandemic grief in El Salvador: factors that predict dysfunctional grief due to a COVID-19 death among Salvadoran adults. PSICOLOGIA-REFLEXAO E CRITICA 2023; 36:9. [PMID: 36988703 PMCID: PMC10050804 DOI: 10.1186/s41155-023-00250-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Thousands of people have died of COVID-19 in El Salvador. However, little is known about the mental health of those who are mourning the loss of a loved one to COVID-19. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the dysfunctional grief associated with COVID-19 death among Salvadoran adults. A sample of 435 Salvadorans (M = 29 years; SD = 8.75) who lost a family member or loved one to COVID-19 completed a digital survey using the Google Forms platform, during April 2 and 28, 2022. The results revealed that 35.1% reported clinically elevated symptoms of dysfunctional grief and among those mourners, and 25.1% also exhibited clinical levels of coronavirus anxiety. A binary logistic regression revealed that predictor variables such as COVID-19 anxiety (p = .003), depression (p = .021), and COVID-19 obsession (p = .032) were significant (χ2 = 84.31; Nagelkerke R2 = .242) and predict a 24.2% chance of dysfunctional bereavement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Pablo D Valencia
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Tlalnepantla de Baz, State of Mexico, Mexico
| | - Carlos Carbajal-León
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, Perú
| | - Lindsey W Vilca
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, Perú
| | - Mario Reyes-Bossio
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Perú
| | - Miguel Gallegos
- Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
- Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas Y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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7
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Almaghlouth S. Mourning the lost: A social actor analysis of gender representation in the @FacesofCovid's tweets. Front Psychol 2022; 13:1042621. [PMID: 36619091 PMCID: PMC9812519 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1042621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
When COVID-19 swept the world at the end of 2019, it changed life as we knew it. With about 600 million positive cases (both recovered and active) and approximately 6.5 million deaths due to the disease, people worldwide have been affected physically, psychologically, economically, and socially by the pandemic. Amid such difficult times, @FacesofCovid-a Twitter account with more than 150,000 followers-was launched in March 2020 with the mission of honoring the lives of those lost to COVID-19 instead of presenting them as mere statistics. The account is a demonstrative example of the mourning genre as primarily exhibited through concise tweets grieving the deceased. As such, it offers a novel case of a public online mourning platform through microblogging, an understudied research area that merits further examination. A self-built corpus of 280,536 words was built from more than 7,000 tweets on the public account. The analysis presented in this paper focused on how people are constructed in the language of their loved ones as they are mourned through these tweets. Drawing on insight from van Leeuwen's social actor representation and corpus linguistics, the analysis was conducted using the #LancsBox corpus processing software package. The findings indicated that gender asymmetry persists within this corpus. Therefore, this paper adds to the rich body of literature documenting gender imbalance across different genres and domains. Men are far more present than women and are constructed through functionalization for the most part, whereas women are less functionalized and represented primarily through relational identification. In light of this, it is argued that while sometimes, gender asymmetry can intentionally be ideologically loaded and may serve hidden agendas, at other times, it may inherently and subconsciously be passed on through spontaneous language use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shrouq Almaghlouth
- *Correspondence: Shrouq Almaghlouth, ; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6654-7584
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8
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van Schaik T, Brouwer MA, Knibbe NE, Knibbe HJJ, Teunissen SCCM. The Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Grief Experiences of Bereaved Relatives: An Overview Review. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2022:302228221143861. [PMID: 36453639 PMCID: PMC9720061 DOI: 10.1177/00302228221143861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted grief experiences of bereaved relatives and altered accustomed ways of coping with loss. To understand how bereaved relatives experienced grief during COVID-19, a review, using the overview method, was conducted. An overview of empirical data about this subject has been lacking and therefore, PubMed and CINAHL databases were searched for empirical studies published from January 1, 2020 until December 31, 2021. 28 articles were included in the review. Thematic analysis showed different emotional responses, changes in grief, the effect of absence during final moments, a lack of involvement in the caring process, the impact on communities and social support systems and the alteration of funerals among bereaved relatives. During COVID-19, death is characterized by poor bereavement outcomes and health implications, but bereaved also show signs of resilience and coping. Directions for future research about cultural and societal differences in grief and support methods are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara van Schaik
- Julius Center for Health Sciences
and Primary Care, University Medical Center
Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marije A. Brouwer
- Julius Center for Health Sciences
and Primary Care, University Medical Center
Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Saskia C. C. M. Teunissen
- Julius Center for Health Sciences
and Primary Care, University Medical Center
Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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9
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Caycho-Rodríguez T, Lee SA, Vilca LW, Carbajal-León C, Reyes-Bossio M, Delgado-Campusano M, Gallegos M, Carranza Esteban R, Noe-Grijalva M. Measurement of Risk Factors Associated With bereavement Severity and Deterioration by COVID-19: A Spanish Validation Study of the Pandemic Grief Risk Factors. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2022:302228221124987. [PMID: 36066339 DOI: 10.1177/00302228221124987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The present study translated and evaluated the psychometric evidence of the Pandemic Grief Risk Factors (PGRF) in a sample of 363 people from the general population of Peru who suffered the death of a loved one by COVID-19 (63-4% women and 36.6% men, where 78.5% were between 18 and 29 years old). The findings indicated that the PGRF is a unidimensional and reliable measure. The PGRF items can differentiate between individuals with different levels of risk factors and thus cover a wide range of the latent construct. Also, a greater sense of distress for each of the risk factors for pandemic grief is necessary to answer the higher response categories. Risk factors significantly and positively predict COVID-19-associated dysfunctional grief. The results indicated that the PGRF in Spanish is a measure with adequate psychometric properties to measure risk factors for pandemic grief.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sherman A Lee
- Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA, USA
| | - Lindsey W Vilca
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, Perú
| | - Carlos Carbajal-León
- South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima, Perú
| | - Mario Reyes-Bossio
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Miguel Gallegos
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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10
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Downar J, Parsons HA, Cohen L, Besserer E, Adeli S, Gratton V, Murphy R, Warmels G, Bruni A, Bhimji K, Dyason C, Enright P, Desjardins I, Wooller K, Kabir M, Noel C, Heidinger B, Anderson K, Arsenault-Mehta K, Lapenskie J, Webber C, Bedard D, Iyengar A, Bush SH, Isenberg SR, Tanuseputro P, Vanderspank-Wright B, Lawlor P. Bereavement outcomes in family members of those who died in acute care hospitals before and during the first wave of COVID-19: A cohort study. Palliat Med 2022; 36:1305-1312. [PMID: 35786109 PMCID: PMC9446458 DOI: 10.1177/02692163221109711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has caused millions of deaths worldwide, leading to symptoms of grief among the bereaved. Neither the burden of severe grief nor its predictors are fully known within the context of the pandemic. AIM To determine the prevalence and predictors of severe grief in family members who were bereaved early in the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN Prospective, matched cohort study. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Family members of people who died in an acute hospital in Ottawa, Canada between November 1, 2019 and August 31, 2020. We matched relatives of patients who died of COVID (COVID +ve) with those who died of non-COVID illness either during wave 1 of the pandemic (COVID -ve) or immediately prior to its onset (pre-COVID). We abstracted decedents' medical records, contacted family members >6 months post loss, and assessed grief symptoms using the Inventory of Complicated Grief-revised. RESULTS We abstracted data for 425 decedents (85 COVID +ve, 170 COVID -ve, and 170 pre-COVID), and 110 of 165 contacted family members (67%) consented to participate. Pre-COVID family members were physically present more in the last 48 h of life; the COVID +ve cohort were more present virtually. Overall, 35 family members (28.9%) had severe grief symptoms, and the prevalence was similar among the cohorts (p = 0.91). Grief severity was not correlated with demographic factors, physical presence in the final 48 h of life, intubation, or relationship with the deceased. CONCLUSION Severe grief is common among family members bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of the cause or circumstances of death, and even if their loss took place before the onset of the pandemic. This suggests that aspects of the pandemic itself contribute to severe grief, and factors that normally mitigate grief may not be as effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Downar
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology School of Law, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Henrique A Parsons
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Leila Cohen
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Samantha Adeli
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Valérie Gratton
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Institut du Savoir Montfort, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Rebekah Murphy
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Queensway-Carleton Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Grace Warmels
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Queensway-Carleton Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Adrianna Bruni
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Queensway-Carleton Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Khadija Bhimji
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Queensway-Carleton Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Claire Dyason
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Paula Enright
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Isabelle Desjardins
- The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Krista Wooller
- The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Monisha Kabir
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Chelsea Noel
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Brandon Heidinger
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Koby Anderson
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Julie Lapenskie
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Colleen Webber
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Shirley H Bush
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Sarina R Isenberg
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Peter Tanuseputro
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Peter Lawlor
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Continuing Care, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,Bruyère Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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11
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Breen LJ, Lee SA, Mancini VO, Willis M, Neimeyer RA. Grief and functional impairment following COVID-19 loss in a treatment-seeking sample: the mediating role of meaning. BRITISH JOURNAL OF GUIDANCE & COUNSELLING 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03069885.2022.2075540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J. Breen
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Sherman A. Lee
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA, USA
| | - Vincent O. Mancini
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | | | - Robert A. Neimeyer
- Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
- Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, Portland, OR, USA
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12
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Cherblanc J, Gagnon C, Côté I, Bergeron-Leclerc C, Cadell S, Gauthier G, Boelen PA. French-Canadian validation of the Traumatic Grief Inventory-Self Report (TGI-SR). DEATH STUDIES 2022; 47:430-439. [PMID: 35686539 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2022.2085347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Traumatic Grief Inventory Self-Report (TGI-SR), which aims to assess both Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder and Prolonged Grief Disorder, has been validated in several languages. This study sought to validate the French-Canadian version. We conducted an online survey exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on grief. With data from 728 participants, the scale demonstrated high internal consistency, correlated significantly with three other scales known to measure similar concepts, and distinguished between groups known to be different. This study supports the use of the TGI-SR French-Canadian version by clinicians and researchers to assess complications of grief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Cherblanc
- Humanities and Social Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Canada
| | - Cynthia Gagnon
- Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Maladies Neuromusculaires, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Hôpital de Jonquière, Saguenay, Canada
| | - Isabelle Côté
- Humanities and Social Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Maladies Neuromusculaires, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Hôpital de Jonquière, Saguenay, Canada
| | | | - Susan Cadell
- School of Social Work, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Geneviève Gauthier
- Humanities and Social Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Canada
| | - Paul A Boelen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, Netherlands
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13
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Lee SA, Neimeyer RA, Mancini VO, Breen LJ. Unfinished business and self-blaming emotions among those bereaved by a COVID-19 death. DEATH STUDIES 2022; 46:1297-1306. [PMID: 35499389 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2022.2067640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In view of the mounting death toll of COVID-19 worldwide and the complicating circumstances that commonly accompany such losses, we studied the grief experiences of 209 adult mourners who lost a loved one to coronavirus with a focus on self-blaming emotions and unresolved issues with the deceased. We found universal endorsement of one or more forms of self-blame (guilt, regret, shame) or unfinished business (UB), with over one-third of mourners endorsing all four experiences. Those having a closer relationship to the deceased reported both greater distress over UB and more intense and dysfunctional grief symptomatology. Strikingly, unresolved conflict, a major dimension of UB, accounted for nearly 40% of the unique variance in problematic grief, which bore no relation to time since the loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherman A Lee
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Robert A Neimeyer
- Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Vincent O Mancini
- Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, Australia
- UWA Law School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Lauren J Breen
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
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14
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‘Losing the illusion of control and predictability of life’: experiences of grief and loss among ageing US adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. AGEING & SOCIETY 2022. [DOI: 10.1017/s0144686x21001872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Bereavement and grief are frequently experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic given widespread mortality. However, losses extend beyond deaths to include cancelled plans and routines, separation from family and friends, and unemployment. It is essential to better understand the multifaceted and complex losses experienced by older adults throughout the pandemic. We analysed 2,587 open-ended survey responses collected online in May to July 2020 from the COVID-19 Coping Study, a mixed-methods study of US adults aged 55 and older. Participants were on average 67 years old (standard deviation = 7.2), over two-thirds female and largely white. Qualitative thematic analysis identified diverse sources of grief, sadness and loss. Themes ranged from death and bereavement to anticipatory grief, loss of agency, cancelled plans and missed milestones, losing social contact and physical touch, health struggles, loss of normalcy and daily routines, and societal and economic woes. The results highlight the varied and highly personal nature of everyday grief and loss among ageing adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sources of grief extended beyond death to include both tangible and intangible losses with expectations of long-term consequences. These findings may inform the development of family and community supports, including mental health services, to address complex subjective experiences of grief and loss since the pandemic onset. Interventions are needed to support healing and hope in vulnerable and resilient ageing populations.
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15
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Breen LJ, Mancini VO, Lee SA, Pappalardo EA, Neimeyer RA. Risk factors for dysfunctional grief and functional impairment for all causes of death during the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating role of meaning. DEATH STUDIES 2021; 46:43-52. [PMID: 34514956 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2021.1974666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with significant social changes due to legislative and public health requirements, has changed the way in which people experience grief. We examined whether dysfunctional grief symptoms, disrupted meaning, risk factors, and functional impairment differed between people bereaved from COVID-19 and from other natural or violent causes in this same period. A sample of 409 participants (67.73% male; M = 37.54 years) completed an online survey in June 2021. There were no statistically significant differences between the three groups on any of the outcome variables; all three groups manifested clinical levels of functional impairment equal to or greater than bereaved groups diagnosed with complicated or prolonged grief disorder prior to the pandemic. Disrupted meaning partially mediated the relationship between risk factors on the one hand and functional impairment and dysfunctional grief symptoms on the other. Findings indicate that deaths during COVID-19, rather than deaths from COVID-19, may precipitate symptoms of significant clinical concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren J Breen
- Curtin enAble Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Vincent O Mancini
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Sherman A Lee
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Emily A Pappalardo
- Department of Psychology, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia, USA
| | - Robert A Neimeyer
- Department of Psychology, University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, Portland, Oregon, USA
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