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Stanhope KK, Temple JR, Christiansen-Lindquist L, Dudley D, Stoll BJ, Varner M, Hogue CJR. Short Term Coping-Behaviors and Postpartum Health in a Population-Based Study of Women with a Live Birth, Stillbirth, or Neonatal Death. Matern Child Health J 2024; 28:1103-1112. [PMID: 38270716 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-023-03894-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Responding to the National Institutes of Health Working Group's call for research on the psychological impact of stillbirth, we compared coping-related behaviors by outcome of an index birth (surviving live birth or perinatal loss - stillbirth or neonatal death) and, among individuals with loss, characterized coping strategies and their association with depressive symptoms 6-36 months postpartum. METHODS We used data from the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network follow-up study (2006-2008) of 285 individuals who experienced a stillbirth, 691 a livebirth, and 49 a neonatal death. We conducted a thematic analysis of coping strategies individuals recommended following their loss. We fit logistic regression models, accounting for sampling and inverse probability of follow-up weights to estimate associations between pregnancy outcomes and coping-related behaviors and, separately, coping strategies and probable depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale > 12) for those with loss. RESULTS Compared to those with a surviving live birth and adjusting for pre-pregnancy drinking and smoking, history of stillbirth, and age, individuals who experienced a loss were more likely to report increased drinking or smoking in the two months postpartum (adjusted OR: 2.7, 95% CI = 1.4-5.4). Those who smoked or drank more had greater odds of probable depression at 6 to 36 months postpartum (adjusted OR 6.4, 95% CI = 2.5-16.4). Among those with loss, recommended coping strategies commonly included communication, support groups, memorializing the loss, and spirituality. DISCUSSION Access to a variety of evidence-based and culturally-appropriate positive coping strategies may help individuals experiencing perinatal loss avoid adverse health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn K Stanhope
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University School of Medicine, 49 Jesse Hill Jr Drive SE, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
| | - Jeff R Temple
- University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Lauren Christiansen-Lindquist
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Donald Dudley
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, PO Box 800617, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA
| | - Barbara J Stoll
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory School of Medicine, 2015 Uppergate Dr, Atlanta, GA, 30307, USA
| | - Michael Varner
- Department of Obstetrics-Gynecology, University of Utah, 50 North Medical Drive, Salt Lake City, UT, 84132, USA
| | - Carol J R Hogue
- Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
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Snaman JM, Chen L, Mazzola E, Helton G, Feifer D, Broden E, McCarthy S, Rosenberg AR, Baker JN, Wolfe J. Family characteristics and childcare patterns associated with early social functioning in cancer-bereaved parents. Cancer 2024. [PMID: 38620040 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bereaved parents experience life-long grief after the death of their child from cancer. Parents who can integrate their grief and maintain their social functioning early in bereavement, even in the setting of concurrent psychosocial distress, have improved outcomes. Identifying the factors associated with bereaved parents' early social functioning can guide future supportive interventions. METHODS The authors surveyed parents of children who died from cancer at two large centers 6-24 months after death, assessing bereavement experiences using validated and pilot tested tools. Univariable and multivariable logistical regression models were used to examine which family and child demographic, treatment, and end-of-life (EOL) factors were associated with maintained parental social functioning (T scores ≥40 on the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities-Short Form questionnaire). RESULTS One hundred twenty-eight parents of 88 children participated (38% household response rate); most parents identified as female (63%) and White (88%). Parents' median age was 47 years (interquartile range, 10 years); and the median time from the child's death to survey completion was 13 months (interquartile range, 10 months). In multivariate modeling, parents without household material hardship and those who felt prepared for EOL circumstances had increased odds of maintained social functioning (odds ratio, 4.7 [95% confidence interval, 1.6-13.7; p < .004] and 5.5 [95% confidence interval, 1.9-15.9; p < .002], respectively). CONCLUSIONS Parents who felt prepared for their child's EOL and those without household material hardship were more likely to have maintained social functioning in the first 2 years after their child's death. Interventions targeting EOL preparedness and alleviating household material hardship may improve bereavement outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Snaman
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Emanuele Mazzola
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Gabrielle Helton
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Doctor of Medicine Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Deborah Feifer
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Elizabeth Broden
- School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sarah McCarthy
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Abby R Rosenberg
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Justin N Baker
- Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, Department of Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Division of Quality of Life and Pediatric Palliative Care, Stanford School of Medicine and Stanford Medicine Children's Health, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Joanne Wolfe
- Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Lichtenthal WG, Roberts KE, Donovan LA, Breen LJ, Aoun SM, Connor SR, Rosa WE. Investing in bereavement care as a public health priority. Lancet Public Health 2024; 9:e270-e274. [PMID: 38492580 PMCID: PMC11110717 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-2667(24)00030-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Morbidity and mortality associated with bereavement is an important public health issue, yet economic and resource investments to effectively implement and sustain integrated bereavement services are sorely lacking at national and global levels. Although bereavement support is a component of palliative care provision, continuity of care for bereaved individuals is often not standard practice in palliative and end-of-life contexts. In addition to potentially provoking feelings of abandonment, failure to extend family-centred care after a patient's death can leave bereaved families without access to crucial psychosocial support and at risk for illnesses that exacerbate the already substantial public health toll of interpersonal loss. The effect of inadequate bereavement care disproportionately disadvantages vulnerable groups, including those living in resource-constrained settings. We build on available evidence and previous recommendations to propose a model for transitional care, firmly establishing bereavement care services within health-care institutions, while respecting their finite resources and the need to ultimately transition grieving families to supports within their communities. Key to the transitional bereavement care model is the bolstering of community-based supports through development of compassionate communities and upskilling of professional services for those with more substantial bereavement support needs. To achieve this goal, interprofessional health workers, institutions, and systems must shift bereavement care from an afterthought to a public health priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy G Lichtenthal
- Center for the Advancement of Bereavement Care, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Health System, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Kailey E Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Leigh A Donovan
- School of Women's and Children's Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lauren J Breen
- Curtin School of Population Health and Curtin enAble Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Samar M Aoun
- Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia; Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia; School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | | | - William E Rosa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
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Hammer NM, Olsen M, Larsen HB, Wreford Andersen E, Oksbjerg Dalton S, Allerslev Horsbøl T, Envold Bidstrup P. Work-related consequences of losing a child with cancer: A nationwide population-based cohort study. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30720. [PMID: 37837181 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parents who lose a child are at increased risk of impaired mental health, which may negatively affect their work ability. The aims of this study were to examine the risk for reduced labor market affiliation in parents who lost a child with cancer compared to a matched parent cohort, and factors associated with the bereaved parents' labor market affiliation. METHODS We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study using Danish registry data. We followed bereaved parents (n = 1609) whose child died with cancer at age less than 30 during 1992-2020, and a matched, population-based sample of parents (n = 15,188) of children with no history of childhood cancer. Cox proportional hazard models and fractional logit models were performed separately for mothers and fathers. RESULTS Cancer-bereaved mothers had an overall increased risk of long-term sick leave (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.48-1.77), unemployment (HR = 1.53; CI: 1.37-1.70), and lower odds of working in the first 2 years following the loss (odds ratio [OR] = 0.44; CI: 0.39-0.49), while bereaved fathers had lower odds of working (OR = 0.65; CI: 0.53-0.79), and increased risk of permanently reduced work ability (HR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.01-1.66), compared to the matched cohort of parents of cancer-free children. Younger parental age, lower education, and being a single parent were identified as the main determinants of the bereaved parents' reduced labor market affiliation. CONCLUSIONS Cancer-bereaved parents are at increased risk of reduced labor market affiliation, compared with a matched, population-based sample of parents. Certain groups of bereaved parents may be at particularly high risk, and targeted bereavement interventions are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanna Maria Hammer
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Copenhagen Palliative Team for Children and Adolescents, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Paediatric Oncology Research Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Psychological Aspects of Cancer, Cancer Survivorship, Danish Cancer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marianne Olsen
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Paediatric Oncology Research Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Section of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Hanne Baekgaard Larsen
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Paediatric Oncology Research Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Susanne Oksbjerg Dalton
- Cancer Survivorship, Danish Cancer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Oncology and Palliative Care, Zealand University Hospital, Naestved, Denmark
| | - Trine Allerslev Horsbøl
- Cancer Survivorship, Danish Cancer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
- National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Pernille Envold Bidstrup
- Psychological Aspects of Cancer, Cancer Survivorship, Danish Cancer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Johnston SE, McAllister S, Norden C, Keens K, Jones K, Smith G, Duncombe R, Barnett L, Krepska A. Child bereavement-what matters to the families. Part 1: Immediate and short-term communication and care. Arch Dis Child Educ Pract Ed 2023:edpract-2023-326386. [PMID: 38071541 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2023-326386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
The death of a child is a complex and hugely significant time for a family and community. Sophisticated but sensitive management by clinicians can have both short-term and long-term impacts on how families process the death. There is a paucity of guidance for optimal child bereavement care. A description of the child death review process including key legalities is provided here, and other essential aspects such as memory making, cultural aspects and sibling involvement are explored. Useful agencies and resources are also detailed. We, as both clinicians and bereaved parents, can uniquely provide an overview of the logistics of managing such a challenging event and highlight important subtleties in communication. We attempt, using our own experiences, to provide a framework and best inform future practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Suzanne McAllister
- Department of Neonatology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - Catriona Norden
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Craigavon Area Hospital, Portadown, UK
| | - Keta Keens
- General Practice, Holland House Surgery, Lytham, Lancashire, UK
| | - Katharine Jones
- General Practice, Woodlands and Clerklands Partnership Clerklands Surgery, Horley, UK
| | - Gillian Smith
- Department of Paediatrics, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Cardiff, UK
| | - Rebecca Duncombe
- Department of Paediatrics, Buckinghamshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, UK
| | - Laura Barnett
- General Practice, Gladstone House Surgery, Ilkeston, UK
| | - Amy Krepska
- Department of Anaesthetics, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia
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Riley AG, Mulé CM, Lerner D, Belter L, O'Toole CM, Kowal S, Fox D, Shapouri S, Vesel T, Lavelle TA. Assessing the impact of grief on quality of life, work productivity, and health outcomes for parents bereaved from SMA: A study protocol. COST EFFECTIVENESS AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION 2023; 21:55. [PMID: 37612702 PMCID: PMC10464285 DOI: 10.1186/s12962-023-00465-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND U.S. cost-effectiveness recommendations suggest that analyses should include all costs and effects relevant to the decision problem [1]. However, in many diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), few studies have evaluated bereaved family outcomes after a child has died, neglecting potential impacts on their health-related quality of life (HRQoL), work productivity, and mental health. Additionally, grief-related outcomes are rarely included in economic evaluations. This manuscript outlines the protocol of a study that will estimate the HRQoL, work functioning, and mental health of bereaved parents of children with SMA type 1 to determine how outcomes vary based on parent's sex and the time since a child's death. METHODS This study will involve two phases. In Phase 1, we will conduct a literature review to identify prior research that has measured how parental grief impacts HRQoL, work productivity, and mental health. We will also interview four bereaved parents of children with SMA type 1, stratified by parent sex and time since their child's death, and analyze findings using a thematic analysis. In Phase 2, we will develop a survey draft based on Phase 1 findings. Parents bereaved from SMA type 1 will review our survey draft and we will revise the survey based on their feedback. We will send a cross-sectional survey to approximately 880 parents bereaved from SMA type 1. We will analyze findings from the survey to investigate whether the severity of grief symptoms is correlated with HRQoL, productivity, depression and anxiety symptom severity. We will also evaluate whether the mean scores of grief and each of the outcomes vary significantly when stratified by parent sex and the time since the child's death. DISCUSSION Our results will provide preliminary information on how parental grief can impact HRQoL, productivity, and mental health outcomes over time. Increasing the availability of family outcomes data will potentially assist organizations performing health economic evaluations, such as the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) in the U.S. This research will also help to inform the development of future economic guidelines on this topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail G Riley
- Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christina M Mulé
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Debra Lerner
- Program on Health, Work and Productivity, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - David Fox
- Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Tamara Vesel
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Tara A Lavelle
- Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health, Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
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Bhaskaran J, Afifi TO, Sareen J, Vincent N, Bolton JM. A cross-sectional examination of sudden-death bereavement in university students. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN COLLEGE HEALTH : J OF ACH 2023; 71:1696-1704. [PMID: 34469263 DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2021.1947298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ObjectivesThe objective of this research was to determine the unique contributions of sudden death bereavement to the mental health of university students compared to non-sudden death bereaved university students. Methods: We surveyed 1047 bereaved university students (retention rate 92%) and compared the non-sudden death bereaved university student population to the sudden death bereaved university population on outcomes including mental health symptomatology, and complicated grief using logistic regressions. Results: Sixty two percent of the sample reported sudden death bereavement. There were no differences on measures of PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, suicidal ideation, and at-risk drinking behavior across types of bereavement. However, sudden death bereavement compared to general bereavement was associated with increased likelihood of complicated grief. Conclusions: Sudden death bereavement in university students is associated with elevated risk of complicated grief. These findings confirm previous research and provide more insight into the unique needs of university student coping with sudden loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Bhaskaran
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Tracie O Afifi
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jitender Sareen
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Norah Vincent
- Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - James M Bolton
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Snaman JM, Mazzola E, Helton G, Feifer D, Morris SE, Clark L, Baker JN, Wolfe J. Early Bereavement Psychosocial Outcomes in Parents of Children Who Died of Cancer With a Focus on Social Functioning. JCO Oncol Pract 2023; 19:e527-e541. [PMID: 36724414 DOI: 10.1200/op.22.00538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The early grief experience of parents of children who died of cancer remains understudied. Understanding psychosocial symptomology and functioning of parents early in their bereavement is essential to developing supportive interventions aimed at offsetting poor mental and physical outcomes. METHODS Parents of children from two centers who died of cancer 6 to 24 months before were mailed a survey that included validated tools and additional Likert scale-based questions. We used correlation and univariate and multiple regression analyses to assess the associations between psychosocial and grief outcomes and parental social functioning. RESULTS One hundred twenty-five parents representing 88 children completed the survey. Most respondents identified as female (63%), White (84%), and non-Hispanic (91%). The mean time since child's death was 14.7 (range, 8-26) months. Bereaved parents' mean score for social functioning was only slightly below normative values, and most parents indicated post-traumatic growth and adaptive coping. Parents had high symptom levels for depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and prolonged grief, with those identifying as female having significantly higher symptom scores. Using multivariate analysis, parental scores for resilience and continuing bonds were associated with higher social functioning scores and parental scores for depressive symptoms and prolonged grief were associated with lower social functioning scores. CONCLUSION Although bereaved parents exhibit resilience and positive coping, they also show high levels of psychosocial distress in the first 2 years after their child's death, which may reflect the typical parental bereavement experience. Screening for low parental social functioning may identify parents who would benefit from additional support early in bereavement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Snaman
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - Emanuele Mazzola
- Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Gabrielle Helton
- Doctor of Medicine Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO
| | - Deborah Feifer
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
| | - Sue E Morris
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.,Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Lisa Clark
- Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, Department of Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Justin N Baker
- Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care, Department of Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Joanne Wolfe
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA.,Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
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Rasouli O, Øglænd IS, Reinfjell T, Eilertsen MEB. Protective and risk factors in the grieving process among cancer-bereaved parents: A qualitative study. DEATH STUDIES 2022; 47:881-890. [PMID: 36352505 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2022.2142324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This Norwegian nationwide study explored cancer-bereaved parents' perceptions of protective and risk factors in their grieving process. A total of 162 parents answered two open-ended questions 2-8 years after their child's death due to cancer. Qualitative analysis revealed three main themes: memories of the child's illness and death, going forward in life, and relationships-a resource and a barrier. The results support the perspective of going forward in life and accepting grief as part of life, contrary to the notion of "getting over" or "detaching" from the deceased child. Social support is also crucial for cancer-bereaved parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Rasouli
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ingvild Svela Øglænd
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Trude Reinfjell
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mary-Elizabeth Bradley Eilertsen
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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Pearson H H, Bryan G, Kayum C, Gibson F, Darlington AS. Parent values and preferences underpinning treatment decision-making in poor-prognosis childhood cancer: a scoping review. BMC Pediatr 2022; 22:595. [PMID: 36229792 PMCID: PMC9563461 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-022-03635-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Parents of children who are diagnosed with a poor-prognosis cancer want to be involved in making treatment-related decisions for their child. They often make repeated decisions depending on their child’s response to treatment and can experience decisional regret as a consequence. Understanding parent values and preferences when making treatment-related decisions may help enhance discussions with healthcare professionals and identify additional ways of providing support to this parent population. Objectives To explore parent values and preferences underpinning treatment decision-making for children receiving cancer-directed therapy for a poor prognosis cancer. Methods A scoping review of research literature and systematic reviews from qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Articles which included parents of a child who received cancer-directed therapy for a poor-prognosis childhood cancer, under the age of eighteen years were considered. Four electronic databases were searched (CINAHL, Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science Core Collections). Reference and citation lists of all included full-text articles were also searched. Summative content analysis was used to synthesise findings and develop themes. Results Twelve articles were included. Parent decision-making was affected by underpinning factors: hope for a cure, fear of their child dying and uncertainty. Influencing factors: opinions of others, child’s wishes, and faith and religion had the potential to inform decision-making processes. Parents valued having enough time, being a good parent and being involved in decision-making. Preferences within these values varied resulting in the potential for conflict and ‘trade-offs’ in making decisions. Conclusions Parent decision-making in poor-prognosis childhood cancer is complex and extends beyond values and preferences. Underpinning factors and values are consistent through the decision-making process with influencing factors and preferences varying between parents. Preferences can conflict when parents want to continue cancer-directed therapy whilst maintaining their child’s quality of life or can change depending on a parents’ cognitive state as they realise cure might be unlikely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Pearson H
- School of Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. .,The Oak Centre for Children and Young People, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Downs Road, Sutton, SM2 5PT, Surrey, UK.
| | - Gemma Bryan
- School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK
| | - Catherine Kayum
- Member of the Parent and Carer Group, Patient Public Involvement, London, UK
| | - Faith Gibson
- School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, UK.,Centre for Outcomes and Experience Research in Children's Health, Illness and Disability (ORCHID), Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Ang FJL, Finkelstein EA, Gandhi M. Parent-Reported Experience Measures of Care for Children With Serious Illnesses: A Scoping Review. Pediatr Crit Care Med 2022; 23:e416-e423. [PMID: 35616499 DOI: 10.1097/pcc.0000000000002996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This scoping review aimed to: 1) identify parent-reported experience measures (PaREMs) for parents of children with serious illnesses from peer-reviewed literature, 2) map the types of care experience being evaluated in PaREMs, 3) identify and describe steps followed in the measure development process, including where gaps lie and how PaREMs may be improved in future efforts, and 4) help service providers choose a PaREM suitable for their service delivery setting and strategy. DATA SOURCES Relevant articles were systematically searched from PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus EBSCOhost databases until June 10, 2021, followed by a manual reference list search of highly relevant articles. STUDY SELECTION Abstracts were screened, followed by a full-text review using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION A standardized data extraction tool was used. DATA SYNTHESIS Sixteen PaREMs were identified. There were large variances in the development processes across measures, and most have been developed in high-income, English-speaking Western countries. Most only assess the quality of acute inpatient care. Few measures can be used by multiple service providers or chronic care, and many do not capture all relevant domains of the parent experience. CONCLUSIONS Service providers should integrate PaREMs into their settings to track and improve the quality of care. Given the multidisciplinary nature of pediatric care and the often-unpredictable disease trajectories of seriously ill children, measures that are applicable to multiple providers and varying lengths of care are essential for standardized assessment of quality of care and coordination among providers. To improve future PaREM development, researchers should follow consistent and methodologically robust steps, ideally in more diverse sociocultural and health systems contexts. Future measures should widen their scope to be applicable over the disease trajectory and to multiple service providers in a child's network of care for a comprehensive evaluation of experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicia Jia Ler Ang
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Eric Andrew Finkelstein
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | - Mihir Gandhi
- Lien Centre for Palliative Care, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Singapore Clinical Research Institute, Singapore
- Tampere Center for Child, Adolescent, and Maternal Health Research, Tampere University, Kauppi Campus, Tampere, Finland
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12
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Nournorouzi L, Nourizadeh R, Hakimi S, Esmaeilpour K, Najmi L. The effect of a coping program on mothers' grief following perinatal deaths. JOURNAL OF EDUCATION AND HEALTH PROMOTION 2022; 11:248. [PMID: 36325232 PMCID: PMC9621366 DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_1156_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mother-child attachment is formed from early stages of pregnancy and peaks in the second trimester and continues until after childbirth. The fetal or neonatal death as a tragic event could lead to the grief experience among parents, especially mothers. The present study aimed to determine the effect of a coping program on mothers' grief following perinatal deaths. MATERIALS AND METHODS This trial study was performed on 56 women with the experience of perinatal death during the last 1-3 months with a score of Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) ≥91, who were referred to the health centers of Tabriz, Iran, from September 2020 to June 2021. Participants were randomly assigned into the intervention and control groups through stratified blocking on the basis of the stillbirth and neonatal death using Random Allocation Software with a block size of 4 and 6 with a ratio of 1:1. The intervention group received a coping program individually during three sessions, once a week for 45-60 min. Data collection tools included the demographic and obstetric characteristic questionnaire and PGS. The data were analyzed using SPSS24. The groups were compared through t-test, and ANCOVA after adjusting the effect of baseline score. RESULTS Prior to coping program, the mean standard deviation of the grief total score was 108.32 (14.31) in the intervention group and 107.92 (6.65) in the control group (P = 0.89). After coping program, the mean of the grief total score was 82.28 (16.72) in the intervention group and 101.05 (12.78) in the control group. After adjusting the effect of baseline score and stratified factors, the mean of the grief total score in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group [Adjusted mean difference (AMD): -18.77, 95% confidence interval: -26.79 to - 10.75, P ≤ 0.001]. CONCLUSION Conducting a coping program during 1-3 months after experiencing perinatal deaths is effective in reducing the mothers' grief reactions. It is recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of the same intervention after perinatal deaths for both parents with a longer follow-up period in further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Nournorouzi
- Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Roghaiyeh Nourizadeh
- Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Sevil Hakimi
- Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Khalil Esmaeilpour
- Psychology Department, Faculty of Psychology, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Leila Najmi
- Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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13
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Dead-infant carrying by chimpanzee mothers in the Budongo Forest. Primates 2022; 63:497-508. [PMID: 35819534 PMCID: PMC9274961 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-022-00999-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
It has been suggested that non-human primates can respond to deceased conspecifics in ways that suggest they experience psychological states not unlike humans, some of which could indicate they exhibit a notion of death. Here, we report long-term demographic data from two East African chimpanzee groups. During a combined 40-year observation period, we recorded 191 births of which 68 died in infancy, mostly within the first year. We documented the post-mortem behaviour of the mothers and describe nine occasions where Budongo chimpanzee mothers carried infants for 1-3 days after their death, usually until the body started to decompose. We also observed three additional cases of extended carrying lasting for more than 2 weeks, one of which was followed by the unusual extended carrying of an object and another which lasted 3 months. In each case, the corpses mummified. In addition, we report four instances of recurring dead-infant carrying by mothers, three of whom carried the corpse for longer during the second instance. We discuss these observations in view of functional hypotheses of dead-infant carrying in primates and the potential proximate mechanisms involved in this behaviour.
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14
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Rasouli O, Moksnes UK, Reinfjell T, Hjemdal O, Eilertsen MEB. Impact of resilience and social support on long-term grief in cancer-bereaved siblings: an exploratory study. BMC Palliat Care 2022; 21:93. [PMID: 35641943 PMCID: PMC9158362 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-022-00978-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bereavement research has mainly explored potential risk factors associated with adverse outcomes, and the role of protective factors has received less attention. More knowledge is needed about factors related to unresolved grief in bereaved siblings. This study aimed to assess grief adjustment and possible gender differences among bereaved young adults 2–10 years after losing a brother or sister to cancer. We also sought to explore how resilience and social support influenced their grief. Methods A total of 99 young adults (18–26 years) who had lost a brother or sister to cancer between the years 2009 and 2014 were invited to participate in this Norwegian nationwide study. The study-specific questionnaire was completed by 36 participants (36.4%). Social support during the sibling's illness, after the death, and during the past year, in addition to grief and resilience, were measured. Results Overall, the prevalence of unresolved grief was 47.2% among bereaved siblings, whereas 52.8% had worked through their grief. The level of having worked through grief and resilience was similar between male and female siblings. Bereaved siblings with higher Personal Competence reported lower unresolved grief. Conclusion Approximately half of the young adults experience unresolved grief 2–10 years after losing a sibling to cancer. The findings also highlight the need for long-term support for bereaved siblings to help improve their resilience and better have worked through their grief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Rasouli
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. .,Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Unni Karin Moksnes
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Trude Reinfjell
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Odin Hjemdal
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Mary-Elizabeth Bradley Eilertsen
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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15
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Zhao S, Ren L, Wang Q, Long M, Wu H, Wang Y. Predictors of prolonged grief disorder in Chinese elderly shidu parents: The role of perceived stigma and perceived stress. Asia Pac Psychiatry 2022; 14:e12489. [PMID: 34590778 DOI: 10.1111/appy.12489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Parents who have lost their only child and over the age of 60 are known as elderly shidu parents. This study aimed to investigate predictors of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) among Chinese elderly shidu parents. METHODS Two hundred and ninety-eight elderly shidu parents from Shenyang were included in this cross-sectional study. Participants completed a questionnaire including the Prolonged Grief questionnaire-13 (PG-13), the PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scales (CES-D), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10). Multiple linear regression was used to examine socio-demographic, bereavement-related and perceived stress associated with PGD symptoms. RESULTS The prevalence of PGD among Chinese elderly shidu parents was 13.8%. Among the 41 PGD patients, 29, 39, 36 patients had comorbidity of PTSD, depressive symptoms and anxiety, respectively. Perceived stress, higher educational level, lower annual household income, perceived stigma, violent death of the child, and being in debt were associated with severer PGD symptoms. DISCUSSION The present study revealed the prevalence of PGD and the important role of PGD in diagnosing other mental disorders in Chinese elderly shidu parents. Providing financial help, eliminating social stigma, and stress should be included in PGD prevention among Chinese elderly shidu parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Zhao
- Department of Social Medicine, College of Health Management, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Longfei Ren
- Department of Social Medicine, College of Health Management, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Qiong Wang
- Department of Social Medicine, College of Health Management, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Meijun Long
- Department of Social Medicine, College of Health Management, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Hui Wu
- Department of Social Medicine, College of Health Management, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Social Medicine, College of Health Management, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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16
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A pilot study of disease related education and psychotherapeutic support for unresolved grief in parents of children with CF. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5746. [PMID: 35388038 PMCID: PMC8987037 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09463-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Diagnosis of chronic disease in a child can result in unresolved grief (UG) in parents. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of psychological insight-oriented therapy (IOT) as a treatment for UG compared to disease related education in parents of children with cystic fibrosis (CF). Sequence of delivery, first IOT then disease related education (or vice versa) was also examined, to let all participants experience both interventions. Parents were screened for UG. Parents with UG were randomised to either five 1-h sessions of IOT or five 1-h sessions of education. Measures were assessed pre-intervention, after the first intervention period (primary efficacy assessment), and after the second intervention period (swapping intervention). Forty-seven parents were screened of which 46.8% (22/47) had UG. Median duration of UG was 5 years (range: 6 months–14 years). Anxiety (50% vs. 20%, p = 0.03) and stress (59% vs. 28%, p = 0.03) were significantly more prevalent in parents with UG. There was no difference between arms in the odds of UG resolving either following the first intervention period (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.5, 1.5) or the second intervention period (OR 0.91; 95% CI 0.5, 1.6). While not statistically significant, adjusted mean values for seven of the eight mental health measures were lower in the IOT (first) arm compared to the ED (first) arm, following the first intervention period. UG is a significant burden for families affected by CF. Provision of disease related education and psychological support, regardless of sequence, can result in resolution of grief. Trial registration number: ACTRN12621000796886, date of registration 24/06/2021, retrospectively registered.
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17
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Trauer in der beschleunigten Gesellschaft. Eine zeitanalytische Perspektive. ZEITSCHRIFT FUR PSYCHOSOMATISCHE MEDIZIN UND PSYCHOTHERAPIE 2022; 68:87-96. [DOI: 10.13109/zptm.2022.68.1.87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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18
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Harrison O, Windmann S, Rosner R, Steil R. Inclusion of the other in the self as a potential risk factor for prolonged grief disorder: A comparison of patients with matched bereaved healthy controls. Clin Psychol Psychother 2021; 29:1101-1112. [PMID: 34822735 DOI: 10.1002/cpp.2697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Pathological grief has received increasing attention in recent years, as about 10% of the bereaved suffer from one kind of it. Pathological grief in the form of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a relatively new diagnostic category which will be included into the upcoming ICD-11. To date, various risk and protective factors, as well as treatment options for pathological grief, have been proposed. Nevertheless, empirical evidence in that area is still scarce. Our aim was to identify the association of interpersonal closeness with the deceased and bereavement outcome. Interpersonal closeness with the deceased in 54 participants (27 patients suffering from PGD and 27 bereaved healthy controls) was assessed as the overlap of pictured identities via the inclusion of the other in the self scale (IOS scale). In addition to that, data on PGD symptomatology, general mental distress and depression were collected. Patients suffering from PGD reported higher inclusion of the deceased in the self. By contrast, they reported feeling less close towards another living close person. Results of the IOS scale were associated with PGD severity, general mental distress and depression. Inclusion of the deceased in the self is a significant statistical predictor for PGD caseness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavia Harrison
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Windmann
- Department of Cognitive Psychology II, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Rita Rosner
- Department of Clinical and Biological Psychology, Catholic University Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany
| | - Regina Steil
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.,Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Marburg, Germany
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19
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Levy C, Drouin K, Dorsett A, Sood E. Supporting Transition to the Bereaved Community After the Death of a Child. Pediatrics 2021; 148:peds.2021-052943. [PMID: 34702721 PMCID: PMC9007229 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2021-052943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Carly Levy
- Nemours Children's Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware .,Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kristin Drouin
- Nemours Children’s Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware;,Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ady Dorsett
- Hayden’s Heart & Hayden’s House of Healing, Columbia, New Jersey
| | - Erica Sood
- Nemours Children’s Hospital, Wilmington, Delaware;,Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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20
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Pakseresht M, Rassouli M, Rejeh N, Rostami S, Barasteh S, Molavynejad S. Explore the Bereavement Needs of Families of Children With Cancer From the Perspective of Health Caregivers: A Qualitative Study. Front Psychol 2021; 12:750838. [PMID: 34733216 PMCID: PMC8558297 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.750838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The experience of bereavement is associated with severe physical, psychological, social and spiritual reactions in the parents of children with cancer. Because of that, the families of these children need to receive bereavement services. The aim of this study was to explore the bereavement needs of families of children with cancer from the perspective of health caregiver as people who have a close relationship with the child and the family. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study design in. In total 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted using a purposive sampling in 2018. Interviews were recorded and transcribed and conventional content analysis was used to analysis the data. The Trustworthiness of the data were assessed according to the criteria of Lincoln and Guba. Results: From the data analysis, needs of the bereaved family were categorized in three dimension including "achieving peace," "Abandoned family access to care," and "continuing care." The category of "achieving peace" includes spiritual and existential support, companionship with the family, contact with other bereaved families, support in passing and accepting the bereaved and continuing empathetic communication with the family, the category "Abandoned family access to care" includes the promotion of family self-control, awareness of end-of-life care to the family, and the category of "continuing care," includes formal and informal family care and individualized care. Conclusion: It is necessary for the care team to pay special focus to family considering the needs of the family about the death of the patient and the challenges of the family bereavement period. It is recommended that members of the health care team should be trained in assessing family needs, identifying risks of adverse outcomes, continuing care, and providing resources during bereavement. The needs of the bereaved family should also be addressed in their care plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Pakseresht
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Maryam Rassouli
- Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nahid Rejeh
- Elderly Care Research Center, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahnaz Rostami
- Nursing Care Research Center in Chronic Diseases, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Salman Barasteh
- Health Management Research Center, Nursing Faculty, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shahram Molavynejad
- Nursing Care Research Center in Chronic Diseases, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
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21
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Vig PS, Lim JY, Lee RWL, Huang H, Tan XH, Lim WQ, Lim MBXY, Lee ASI, Chiam M, Lim C, Baral VR, Krishna LKR. Parental bereavement - impact of death of neonates and children under 12 years on personhood of parents: a systematic scoping review. BMC Palliat Care 2021; 20:136. [PMID: 34481491 PMCID: PMC8418708 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-021-00831-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Losing a child tragically impacts the well-being and functioning of parents. With these effects extending beyond emotional, physical morbidity and compromising self-perceptions, appropriate, longitudinal, timely and personalised support is key to effective care of bereaved parents. However, in the absence of a comprehensive understanding of parental bereavement, effective support of bereaved parents remains suboptimal. To address this gap, we scrutinise prevailing data on the effects of a child's death, aged 0-12 years, through the lens of the Ring Theory of Personhood (RToP). METHODS To study prevailing accounts of bereaved parents following the death of a child, we adopt Krishna's Systematic Evidence Based Approach (SEBA) to structure our Systematic Scoping Review (SSR in SEBA). RESULTS Three thousand seventy-four abstracts were reviewed, 160 full text articles were evaluated, and 111 articles were included and analysed using thematic and content analysis. Four themes/categories were identified relating to the four rings of the RToP. Findings reveal that static concepts of protective and risk factors for grief are misplaced and that the support of healthcare professionals is key to assisting bereaved parents. CONCLUSION In the absence of consistent support of bereaved parents, this study highlights the need for effective training of healthcare professionals, beginning with an appreciation that every aspect of an individual parent's personhood is impacted by the loss of their child. Acknowledging grief as a complex, evolving and personalised process subjected to parental characteristics, settings, context and available support, this SSR in SEBA calls attention to effective nurturing of the relationship between parents and healthcare professionals, and suggests use of the RToP to assess and direct personalised, timely, specific support of parents in evolving conditions. We believe the findings of this review also call for further studies to support healthcare professionals as they journey with bereaved parents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prachi Simran Vig
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Jia Yin Lim
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Randal Wei Liang Lee
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Huixin Huang
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Xiu Hui Tan
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Wei Qiang Lim
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Marie Bernadette Xin Yi Lim
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Alexia Sze Inn Lee
- Division of Cancer Education, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Min Chiam
- Division of Cancer Education, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
| | - Crystal Lim
- Medical Social Services, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Block 3 Level 1, Singapore, 169608 Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
| | - Vijayendra Ranjan Baral
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Division of Neonatal and Developmental Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Outram Road, Block 5 Level 4, Singapore, 169608 Singapore
| | - Lalit Kumar Radha Krishna
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road NUHS Tower Block, Level 11, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
- Division of Palliative and Supportive Care, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
- Division of Cancer Education, National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Crescent, Singapore, 169610 Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore, 169857 Singapore
- Palliative Care Institute Liverpool, Academic Palliative & End of Life Care Centre, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Centre for Biomedical Ethics, National University of Singapore, Blk MD11, 10 Medical Drive, #02-03, Singapore, 117597 Singapore
- PalC, The Palliative Care Centre for Excellence in Research and Education, PalC c/o Dover Park Hospice, 10 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, Singapore, 308436 Singapore
- Cancer Research Centre, University of Liverpool, 200 London Rd, Liverpool, L3 9TA UK
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22
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Examining the Experiences and Support Needs of Bereaved Parents After the Death of a Child During Early Adulthood From Cancer. Cancer Nurs 2021; 45:E719-E727. [PMID: 34483281 DOI: 10.1097/ncc.0000000000000998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parents experience unique grief, which may be experienced differently by mothers and fathers. A lack of knowledge about the particular bereavement experiences of the parents of young adults exists. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate experiences and support needs of parents after the death of a child (aged 16-29 years) from cancer, exploring changes over time. METHODS The study used a Charmazian constructivist grounded theory approach. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 parents (7 mothers and 4 fathers) purposefully sampled and bereaved between 15 months and 7 years. Data were analyzed inductively using the constant comparative approach for category development. RESULTS "Living with continual loss" emerged as the core category central to parents' experiences of bereavement. Feelings of continual loss were compounded by parents' lack of information ("grieving in the dark") and a perceived lack of understanding from families and friends ("grieving alone"). Parents discovered strategies to manage the feeling of loss: "changing routines," "preserving the meaning of home," "maintaining memories and presence," and "sharing experiences." CONCLUSIONS This is the first study focusing solely on the experiences and support needs of bereaved parents of young adults who have died of cancer. Parents live with a continual sense of loss irrespective of the length of bereavement, and a lack of bereavement information and empathetic emotional support can exist. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE The need for improved information giving and development of peer support for bereaved parents has been identified. Cancer centers have a continuing role in developing and providing this support.
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23
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Shepherd BF, Brochu PM, Stripling AM. Hidden grief is complicated: identity concealment as a minority stressor and relational-cultural barrier among bereaved sexual and gender minoritized elders. PSYCHOLOGY & SEXUALITY 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/19419899.2021.1970618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin F. Shepherd
- Department of Clinical and School Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
| | - Paula M. Brochu
- Department of Clinical and School Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
| | - Ashley M. Stripling
- Department of Clinical and School Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL
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Sveen J, Jernelöv S, Pohlkamp L, Kreicbergs U, Kaldo V. Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of guided internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia after the loss of a child to cancer: Randomized controlled trial. Internet Interv 2021; 25:100409. [PMID: 34401368 PMCID: PMC8350585 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2021.100409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Bereaved individuals often experience sleep problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate feasibility and preliminary effects of internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (iCBT-i) in bereaved parents. Parents were randomized to iCBT-i (n = 10) or an active control group (n = 11). Primary outcome (insomnia) and secondary outcomes (prolonged grief, depression, posttraumatic stress, and grief rumination) were assessed pre- and post-treatment, with 9- and 18-month follow-ups. Feasibility was assessed post-treatment and one month later. Most parents reported positive effects of the treatment. The intervention group improved significantly from pre- to post-treatment and had a significantly larger reduction of insomnia when analyzed over all four time-points (Wald χ2 = 30.0, p < 0.001), although the effect at post-treatment was very small (d = 0.1) for insomnia. Thus, iCBT-i was feasible and was related to reduced insomnia and psychological distress in bereaved parents, both short- and long-term, but the results regarding the treatment effect are preliminary due to the small sample size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Sveen
- Palliative Research Centre, Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Stockholm, Sweden,National Center for Disaster Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden,Corresponding author at: National Center for Disaster Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala University Hospital entrance 10, 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Susanna Jernelöv
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lilian Pohlkamp
- Palliative Research Centre, Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Kreicbergs
- Palliative Research Centre, Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Stockholm, Sweden,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Viktor Kaldo
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Sweden,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden
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Helton G, Morris SE, Dole OR, Wolfe J, Snaman JM. Parental Perceptions of Hospital-Based Bereavement Support Following a Child's Death From Cancer: Room for Improvement. J Pain Symptom Manage 2021; 61:1254-1260. [PMID: 33197525 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2020.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT The death of a child from cancer is a devastating event, placing bereaved parents at risk for both physical and psychosocial morbidities. Despite growing awareness of these outcomes and increased hospital-based support, bereaved parents continue to express a desire for additional assistance. OBJECTIVES We examined parental perceptions of bereavement support from the clinical teams and institution and suggested modifications to hospital support strategies. METHODS We explored the answers to four questions on the bereavement support provided from the care team and institutional mailings from a larger survey, querying parents of children who died from cancer 6 to 24 months prior to participation. Answers were Likert scale based with additional free-text responses. RESULTS Forty-nine parents completed the survey (response rate 36%). The respondents were predominantly white (N = 43, 88%), female (N = 32, 65%), and non-Hispanic/Latino (N = 43, 88%). The mean length of time from child's death to completion was 13 months. Twenty-seven (55%) and 26 (53%) parents indicated that contact with care team and mailings, respectively, were at least a little helpful in their grief experience. In free-text responses, parents identified support outside the hospital (28 respondents), groups and events hosted by the hospital or hospice (8), contact with care team (3), and hospital mailings (1) as the most helpful. Findings support modifications to hospital support strategies. CONCLUSIONS Bereaved parents request additional supportive services. Using the parents' perspective and recommendations, we outline options to augment support and provide a variety of supportive resources for bereaved parents to access in their own time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Helton
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sue E Morris
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Olivia R Dole
- Department of Family Services Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joanne Wolfe
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer M Snaman
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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Bylund-Grenklo T, Birgisdóttir D, Beernaert K, Nyberg T, Skokic V, Kristensson J, Steineck G, Fürst CJ, Kreicbergs U. Acute and long-term grief reactions and experiences in parentally cancer-bereaved teenagers. BMC Palliat Care 2021; 20:75. [PMID: 34044835 PMCID: PMC8161967 DOI: 10.1186/s12904-021-00758-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Previous research shows that many cancer-bereaved youths report unresolved grief several years after the death of a parent. Grief work hypothesis suggests that, in order to heal, the bereaved needs to process the pain of grief in some way. This study explored acute grief experiences and reactions in the first 6 months post-loss among cancer-bereaved teenagers. We further explored long-term grief resolution and potential predictors of having had “an okay way to grieve” in the first months post-loss. Methods We used a population-based nationwide, study-specific survey to investigate acute and long-term grief experiences in 622 (73% response rate) bereaved young adults (age > 18) who, 6–9 years earlier, at ages 13–16 years, had lost a parent to cancer. Associations were assessed using bivariable and multivariable logistic regression. Results Fifty-seven per cent of the participants reported that they did not have a way to grieve that felt okay during the first 6 months after the death of their parent. This was associated with increased risk for long-term unresolved grief (odds ratio (OR): 4.32, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.99–6.28). An association with long-term unresolved grief was also found for those who reported to have been numbing and postponing (42%, OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.22–2.47), overwhelmed by grief (24%, OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.35–3.04) and discouraged from grieving (15%, OR: 2.68, 95% CI: 1.62–4.56) or to have concealed their grief to protect the other parent (24%, OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.23–2.73). Predictors of having had an okay way to grieve included being male, having had good family cohesion, and having talked about what was important with the dying parent. Conclusion More than half of the cancer-bereaved teenagers did not find a way to grieve that felt okay during the first 6 months after the death of their parent and the acute grief experiences and reaction were associated with their grief resolution long-term, i.e. 6–9 years post-loss. Facilitating a last conversation with their dying parent, good family cohesion, and providing teenagers with knowledge about common grief experiences may help to prevent long-term unresolved grief. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12904-021-00758-7
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Affiliation(s)
- Tove Bylund-Grenklo
- Department of Caring Science, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies, University of Gävle, SE-801 76, Gävle, Sweden.
| | - Dröfn Birgisdóttir
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Pathology, Institute for Palliative Care, Lund University and Region Skåne, Medicon Village, Hus 404B, 223 81, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Kim Beernaert
- Ghent University & Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), End-of-Life Care Research Group, Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tommy Nyberg
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Viktor Skokic
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jimmie Kristensson
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Pathology, Institute for Palliative Care, Lund University and Region Skåne, Medicon Village, Hus 404B, 223 81, Lund, Sweden.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Steineck
- Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institute, Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Division of Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Carl Johan Fürst
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Oncology and Pathology, Institute for Palliative Care, Lund University and Region Skåne, Medicon Village, Hus 404B, 223 81, Lund, Sweden
| | - Ulrika Kreicbergs
- Department of Caring Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Jordan TR, Wotring AJ, McAfee CA, Polavarapu M, Cegelka D, Wagner-Greene VR, Hamdan Z. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed dying and grief: Will there be a surge of complicated grief? DEATH STUDIES 2021; 46:84-90. [PMID: 34027825 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2021.1929571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, more than 3 million people have died from COVID-19. Each decedent represents a person who was loved, will be missed, and whose death elicited grief. COVID-19 has changed the way we die and grieve. Many people have died without family members and friends present and many of the bereft have grieved and mourned alone. Individuals and communities have experienced multiple losses within a short time while suffering from concomitant stress, anxiety, and depression. More deaths and more grief will continue in the foreseeable future. Preventive education is needed to prepare for and manage the likely increase in complicated grief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Jordan
- School of Population Health, University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio, Toledo
| | - Amy J Wotring
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA
| | - Colette A McAfee
- School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | | | - Derek Cegelka
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
| | - Victoria R Wagner-Greene
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas, USA
| | - Zena Hamdan
- Department of Health Administration, Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Pearson H, Gibson F, Darlington ASE. Parent values and preferences underpinning treatment decision making in poor prognosis childhood cancer: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e046284. [PMID: 33986060 PMCID: PMC8126319 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Parents of a child with cancer want to be involved in making treatment decisions for their child. Underpinning and informing these decisions are parents' individual values and preferences. Parents of a child who has a poor prognosis cancer and who subsequently dies can experience decisional regret. To support parents, and potentially reduce decisional regret, identifying the values and preferences of parents who are making these treatment decisions may enhance the support that can be provided by healthcare professionals. An increased understanding will support future work in this area and identify research gaps that could strengthen support strategies in clinical practice. The aim of this scoping review is to explore parent values and preferences underpinning treatment decision making when their child is receiving cancer-directed therapy for a poor prognosis cancer. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology will be followed. An initial database search of CINHAL and MEDLINE will be conducted to analyse the keywords using subject headings and Medical Subject Headings terms. Articles will be initially screened on title and abstract. The reference and citation lists of the full-text articles to be included will be searched using Web of Science. Articles will be independently reviewed by two reviewers and any discrepancies discussed with a third reviewer. Data extracted will be presented in tabular, diagrams and descriptive summaries. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval is not required for this scoping review. This review will inform further research with parents to understand their values and preferences when making repeated treatment decisions when their child has a poor prognosis cancer. All outputs will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.This scoping review is registered on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/n7j9f).
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Pearson
- Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Faculty of Medicine Health and Life Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Faith Gibson
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
- Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Grauerholz KR, Berry SN, Capuano RM, Early JM. Uncovering Prolonged Grief Reactions Subsequent to a Reproductive Loss: Implications for the Primary Care Provider. Front Psychol 2021; 12:673050. [PMID: 34054675 PMCID: PMC8149623 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.673050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction There is a paucity of clinical guidelines for the routine assessment of maladaptive reproductive grief reactions in outpatient primary care and OB-GYN settings in the United States. Because of the disenfranchised nature of perinatal grief reactions, many clinicians may be apt to miss or dismiss a grief reaction that was not identified in the perinatal period. A significant number of those experiencing a reproductive loss exhibit signs of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Reproductive losses are typically screened for and recorded numerically as part of a woman’s well-visit intake, yet this process often fails to identify patients emotionally troubled by a prior pregnancy loss. Materials and Methods A summative content analysis of 164 recent website blogs from female participants who self-reported having experienced a miscarriage or abortion in their lifetime was conducted. The narratives were reviewed for details regarding the time span between the pregnancy loss and the composition of the blog post. The stories were analyzed for subsequent relationship problems and detrimental mental health conditions. Maladaptive reactions were contrasted for those that indicated a greater than 12 months’ time-lapse and those who had not. Results More than a third (39.6%) of the women reported in the narrative that at least one year or more had passed since experiencing the miscarriage or abortion. For those women, the median time span between the loss and composing the blog was 4 years with a range of 47 years. Mental health conditions attributed to the reproductive loss by those who reported longer bereavement times included subsequent relationship problems, substance misuse, depression, suicidal ideation, and PTSD. The percent of reported maladaptive issues was more than double (136.9% vs. 63.6%) for those who reported that a year or more had passed since the loss of the pregnancy. Discussion Grief reactions following the loss of a pregnancy may be prolonged or delayed for several months which can contribute to adverse biopsychosocial outcomes. Recognition and treatment of maladaptive grief reactions following a pregnancy loss are critical. Screening methods should be enhanced for clinicians in medical office settings to help identify and expedite the appropriate mental health assistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shandeigh N Berry
- Life Perspectives, San Diego, CA, United States.,Department of Nursing, College of Arts and Sciences, St. Martin's University, Lacey, WA, United States
| | - Rebecca M Capuano
- Life Perspectives, San Diego, CA, United States.,Blue Ridge Women's Center, Roanoke, VA, United States
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Rasouli O, Aarseth Bø M, Reinfjell T, Moksnes UK, Eilertsen MEB. Protective and risk factors associated with psychological distress in cancer-bereaved parents: A cross-sectional study. Eur J Oncol Nurs 2021; 51:101929. [PMID: 33713920 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejon.2021.101929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Research shows that knowledge about mental health status, both protective and risk factors, is limited in cancer-bereaved parents. The study aimed to investigate (1) the extent of psychological distress in bereaved parents 2-8 years after the loss of a child to cancer compared to non-bereaved parents, and (2) psychological distress in association with resilience, the extent of having coped with the grief, time since the loss, and past psychological distress in cancer-bereaved parents. DESIGN Retrospective, cross-sectional study. METHODS A Norwegian nationwide study-specific questionnaire was completed by 162 parents who had lost a child to cancer, and 77 matched non-bereaved parents. We used the Cohort Norway-Mental Health Index and Resilience Scale for Adults to measure psychological distress and resilience, respectively. The extent of having coped with grief was also measured. RESULTS Bereaved parents experienced significantly more symptoms of psychological distress, albeit not clinical psychological distress, compared to non-bereaved parents. The bereaved parents who have coped with their grief or had higher resilience reported lower psychological distress. Positive "Perception of self" and well "Planned future" were the strongest predictors of psychological distress in both bereaved fathers and mothers. CONCLUSION Both fathers and mothers experience more psychological distress symptoms 2-8 years after losing a child to cancer than non-bereaved parents. The findings also highlight the need for long-term support to bereaved parents in order to help to improve their resilience and to better cope with their grief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Rasouli
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Malin Aarseth Bø
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Out-patient Clinic (BUP) Orkanger, Division of Mental Health Care, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Trude Reinfjell
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Unni Karin Moksnes
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, North University, Norway.
| | - Mary-Elizabeth B Eilertsen
- Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
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Gang J, Kocsis J, Avery J, Maciejewski PK, Prigerson HG. Naltrexone treatment for prolonged grief disorder: study protocol for a randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Trials 2021; 22:110. [PMID: 33522931 PMCID: PMC7848251 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-021-05044-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a lack of effective pharmacotherapy for prolonged grief disorder (PGD). Evidence suggests that the neurobiology of PGD involves the same circuitry as the reward pathway. Based upon this evidence, we hypothesize that PGD can be conceptualized as a disorder of addiction and therefore could benefit from being treated with medications that are currently used to treat such disorders. One such medication is naltrexone, which is currently used to treat alcohol and opioid dependence. Oral naltrexone was chosen for its mechanism of action, safety, and convenience. The primary aim of this study is to establish the efficacy of using oral naltrexone as a pharmacological treatment for PGD. Specifically, we hypothesize that participants receiving naltrexone will demonstrate reduced PGD symptoms when compared to placebo. METHODS/DESIGN This is a randomized, placebo-controlled, triple-blinded (to healthcare professionals/study staff, participants, and data analysts) study in which we propose to enroll 48 participants who meet criteria for Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). Participants will be randomly assigned to the naltrexone 50 mg oral arm or placebo arm; medications will be over-encapsulated to appear identical. Participants will take their assigned medication for 8 weeks, with clinic visits every 4 weeks to assess symptom severity, social closeness, and adverse reactions. Weekly surveys of Prolonged Grief-13-Revised (PG-13-R) will be used to relate naltrexone use to changes in PGD symptom severity. Follow-up 4 weeks after their last visit will assess the longevity of treatment, as well as any lingering adverse reactions. DISCUSSION This study is the first to investigate the use of oral naltrexone as pharmacological treatment for PGD. The acute and debilitating nature of the disorder, in addition to the increased risk of comorbidities, highlights the need for pharmacological treatment like naltrexone that can act more rapidly, may help those for whom psychotherapy may not be effective, and/or may augment psychotherapy to promote PGD symptom grief resolution. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04547985 . Registered on 8/31/2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Gang
- Center for Research on End-of-Life Care, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - James Kocsis
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Avery
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul K Maciejewski
- Center for Research on End-of-Life Care, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Holly G Prigerson
- Center for Research on End-of-Life Care, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Lannen P, Sand H, Sticca F, Ruiz Gallego I, Bombach C, Simoni H, Wehrle FM, Jenni OG. Development and Health of Adults Formerly Placed in Infant Care Institutions - Study Protocol of the LifeStories Project. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 14:611691. [PMID: 33551778 PMCID: PMC7854920 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.611691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A growing volume of research from global data demonstrates that institutional care under conditions of deprivation is profoundly damaging to children, particularly during the critical early years of development. However, how these individuals develop over a life course remains unclear. This study uses data from a survey on the health and development of 420 children mostly under the age of three, placed in 12 infant care institutions between 1958 and 1961 in Zurich, Switzerland. The children exhibited significant delays in cognitive, social, and motor development in the first years of life. Moreover, a follow-up of a subsample of 143 children about 10 years later revealed persistent difficulties, including depression, school related-problems, and stereotypies. Between 2019 and 2021, these formerly institutionalized study participants were located through the Swiss population registry and invited to participate once again in the research project. Now in their early sixties, they are studied for their health, further development, and life-course trajectories. A mixed-methods approach using questionnaires, neuropsychological assessments, and narrative biographical interviews was implemented by a multidisciplinary team. Combining prospective and retrospective data with standardized quantitative and biographical qualitative data allows a rich reconstruction of life histories. The availability of a community sample from the same geographic location, the 1954-1961 cohort of the Zurich Longitudinal Studies, described in detail in a paper in this issue (Wehrle et al., 2020), enables comparison with an unaffected cohort. This article describes the study design and study participants in detail and discusses the potential and limitations of a comparison with a community sample. It outlines a set of challenges and solutions encountered in the process of a lifespan longitudinal study from early childhood into the cusp of old age with a potentially vulnerable sample and summarizes the lessons learned along the way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Lannen
- Marie Meierhofer Children’s Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hannah Sand
- Marie Meierhofer Children’s Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Sticca
- Marie Meierhofer Children’s Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Ruiz Gallego
- Marie Meierhofer Children’s Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Clara Bombach
- Marie Meierhofer Children’s Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Heidi Simoni
- Marie Meierhofer Children’s Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Flavia M. Wehrle
- Child Development Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Oskar G. Jenni
- Child Development Center, University Children’s Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Thimm JC, Kristoffersen AE, Ringberg U. The prevalence of severe grief reactions after bereavement and their associations with mental health, physical health, and health service utilization: a population-based study. Eur J Psychotraumatol 2020; 11:1844440. [PMID: 33408813 PMCID: PMC7748058 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2020.1844440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Previous research has shown that bereaved individuals are at risk of developing physical and mental health problems. However, knowledge is scarce about the associations between severe grief reactions after bereavement and physical and mental health problems and the use of health services. Objectives: The present study sought to investigate the prevalence of severe grief reactions and to study the associations of severe grief reactions with mental and physical health and health care utilization. Method: The sample comprised 20,453 adults aged 40 and above (mean age = 57.2 years, SD = 11.3 years, 52.4% female) who participated in the seventh wave of the Tromsø study. Severe grief was assessed with one question asking whether the respondent has experienced the death of a loved one and currently has difficulty accepting the loss, yearns for the deceased, and experiences intense emotional pain related to the loss. Furthermore, participants answered questions about their current physical health, mental health (Hopkins Symptom Checklist - 10), and the use of health services in the past year. Results: Overall, 5.2% of the participants reported severe grief after a loss in childhood, 25.9% after bereavement in adulthood and 4.1% after bereavement in the previous year. Female gender, higher age, living without a partner, non-Norwegian ethnicity, and lower socio-economic status were associated with severe grief. Severe grief reactions were negatively related to self-reported health, predicted positively current levels of depression and anxiety, and were positively associated with the use of health services. Effect sizes were small. Gender differences in the use of health services were observed. Conclusion: Severe grief reactions are common in individuals aged 40 and older and associated with self-reported physical and mental health problems as well as increased use of health services. Health service providers should be attentive to possible severe grief in connection with health complaints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens C Thimm
- Center for Crisis Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.,Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Agnete Egilsdatter Kristoffersen
- The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Unni Ringberg
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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Parents' views on what facilitated or complicated their grief after losing a child to cancer. Palliat Support Care 2020; 19:524-529. [PMID: 33239119 DOI: 10.1017/s1478951520001212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The loss of a child is a devastating event, and bereaved parents often suffer intense and long-lasting grief reactions and are at risk for psychological symptoms. More knowledge about how parents cope with grief may improve the support to bereaved parents. This study, therefore, aimed to explore parents' views on what facilitated or complicated their grief coping after losing a child to cancer. METHODS This study was derived from a nationwide postal survey. Cancer-bereaved parents (n = 161) provided written responses to two open-ended questions: "Is there anything that has helped you cope with your grief after your child's death?" and "Is there anything that made it difficult for you to cope with your grief?" Content analysis was used to analyze the responses. RESULTS Parents reported that a supportive social network of family and friends, and having remaining children, facilitated their coping with grief. Meeting professional counselors and meeting other bereaved parents, connecting to memories of the deceased child in various contexts, including school and pediatric care settings, were also reported facilitating grief coping. Parents stated that the following experiences had complicated grief coping: additional losses in their family or social network; not being able to share emotions with their partner; when they perceived that friends, relatives, or colleagues lacked empathy or patience; when they felt challenging demands from employers at a too early stage. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS This study contributes to the understanding of parents' grief experiences and what has facilitated or complicated their coping with grief, which can help health care professionals and others improve bereavement support services.
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Giorgali S. Bereaved parents' needs regarding hospital based bereavement care after the death of a child to cancer. DEATH STUDIES 2020; 46:1472-1480. [PMID: 32972331 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2020.1824202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the needs of bereaved parents in Greece (N = 56) regarding the provision of hospital based bereavement services after the death of their child to cancer. The participants did not receive formal or informal hospital based bereavement services. The majority of the parents (84%) stated that, given the opportunity, they would attend a bereavement program. Continuity of care in bereavement from the health care team, availability, individualized care, interdisciplinary approach and contact with other bereaved parents were described as key elements for the provision of bereavement services.
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Dumont É, Bourque CJ, Duval M, Payot A, Sultan S. A Portrait of Self-Reported Health and Distress in Parents Whose Child Died of Cancer. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2020; 85:958-973. [DOI: 10.1177/0030222820959943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Grieving a child following cancer is a substantially difficult task. The objectives of this research were: 1) to describe current quality of life (QoL), psychological distress and symptoms of grief of bereaved parents, and 2) to explore the role of possible contributors of QoL and psychological distress. Forty-six parents (32 mothers) of children who died of cancer were surveyed on their QoL, distress, and complicated grief. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. Parents had a high frequency of grieving symptoms (58%). Mothers reported more retrospective grief symptoms than fathers when describing the year after child death. Current lower mental well-being was associated with experiencing higher retrospective grief symptoms, a shorter period since child death, and being a father. Hence, parents experienced disturbances even long after child death. Mothers and fathers may present specificities that should be considered when developing supportive activities for this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Émilie Dumont
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Sainte-Justine University Health Center, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Claude Julie Bourque
- Sainte-Justine University Health Center, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Michel Duval
- Sainte-Justine University Health Center, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Antoine Payot
- Sainte-Justine University Health Center, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Serge Sultan
- Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Sainte-Justine University Health Center, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Yang L, Weng X, Subramanian SV. Associations between older adults' parental bereavement and their health and well-being: Evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study. J Affect Disord 2020; 272:207-214. [PMID: 32553360 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Few studies have investigated the association between losing a child and parental health and wellbeing, especially among older Chinese bereaved parents. This study examined depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and self-rated health of older Chinese bereaved parents to estimate the health and well-being of this group. METHODS This research used data from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total number of 11,507 participants age 45 and older were enrolled in the analysis, including 1,758 bereaved adults who had experienced a child's death and 9,749 non-bereaved counterparts. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to examine the effect of bereavement and its interaction effect by sex and age. RESULTS Multivariate analyses revealed that the death of a child is associated with an increasing likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.425, p < 0.001), and a reduced probability of a high level of life satisfaction (adjusted OR = 0.725, p < 0.05), whereas experiencing a child's death is not significantly associated with self-reported health status. The effects of bereavement on health and well-being were found to have a much greater impact among participants who were males (compared to females) and who aged<60 years (compared to those ≥60 years). DISCUSSION Future longitudinal prospective research is expected to examine the causal relationship and explore the attributes of child death and its effects on parental health. Interventions to improve the health and well-being of the older bereaved population are warranted, particularly for those who are male and under 60 years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- Department of Social Work, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Xue Weng
- School of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - S V Subramanian
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Wilson DM, Rodríguez-Prat A, Low G. The potential impact of bereavement grief on workers, work, careers, and the workplace. SOCIAL WORK IN HEALTH CARE 2020; 59:335-350. [PMID: 32510280 DOI: 10.1080/00981389.2020.1769247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Bereavement grief is typically very painful and often highly consequential. People who are working could be significantly impacted by the death of someone they care about. A qualitative study sought an understanding of the lived experience of bereavement on the mourner's ability to work and their work-related experiences following the death of a loved one. Three themes emerged: (a) grief is universal but individually impactful, (b) accommodation is needed to assist the return to work and to regain work abilities, and (c) there are many impediments to working again. These themes highlight the potential for bereavement grief to substantially effect mourners and thus their work, careers, and the workplace. Older workers could be particularly disadvantaged because of workplace ageism. Societal and other changes appear to be needed for the health and wellbeing of mourning workers, and to address related work and bereavement issues. Bereavement grief is highly relevant to the social work profession, given its involvement in providing information, developing supportive services, and making referrals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna M Wilson
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta , Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Gail Low
- Faculty of Nursing, University of Alberta , Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Morris S, Fletcher K, Goldstein R. The Grief of Parents After the Death of a Young Child. J Clin Psychol Med Settings 2020; 26:321-338. [PMID: 30488260 DOI: 10.1007/s10880-018-9590-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Research demonstrates that severe forms of grief and grief-related pathology exist in the general population. Less attention, however, has been paid to the grief of parents following the death of a young, dependent child. In this review, we summarize a search of Pubmed, PsycINFO and Web of Science from 1995 to 2017, using the terms 'parental complicated grief', 'parental traumatic grief', and 'parent Prolonged Grief Disorder', specifically addressing parental grief and identified risk factors for complicated or prolonged grief. Forty-two studies met criteria and indicate a significant burden of complicated or prolonged grief in parents of children dying from virtually any cause. It appears that the empiric literature is undermined by great variability, including the composition of samples, the causes of death studied, the psychometric measures used, and post-loss intervals. We conclude that the uniform severity of grief experiences following the death of a young child is potentially a distinct subtype of grief, deserving of attention in its own right in future research and diagnostic formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Morris
- Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Kalen Fletcher
- Department of Social Work, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Richard Goldstein
- Division of General Pediatrics, Department of Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
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Lancel M, Stroebe M, Eisma MC. Sleep disturbances in bereavement: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev 2020; 53:101331. [PMID: 32505968 DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Severe, persistent and disabling grief occurs among a sizable minority experiencing bereavement, with diagnostic manuals newly including complicated grief (CG) disorders. Sleep disturbances/disorders have been established as worsening affective and stress-related conditions. However, the role of sleep difficulties in bereavement and CG has not received similar scientific attention. We therefore conducted a systematic review with narrative syntheses on this topic to clarify the role of sleep in bereavement (PROSPERO: CRD42018093145). We searched PubMed, Web of Science and PsychInfo for peer-reviewed English-language articles including (at least one) bereaved sample and sleep disturbance measure. We identified 85 articles on 12.294 participants. We answered seven pre-defined research questions demonstrating: high prevalence of sleep disturbances in bereavement; positive associations of grief intensity with sleep difficulties; preliminary indications of risk factors of post-loss sleep disturbance; higher prevalence of sleep disturbances in CG, enhanced by psychiatric comorbidity (i.e., depression); and initial evidence of causal relationships between (complicated) grief and sleep. Grief therapy partly improves sleep difficulties, yet no intervention studies have specifically targeted sleep problems in bereaved persons. Causal relationships between sleep and grief require further examination in intensive longitudinal investigations, including randomized trials, thereby clarifying whether treating sleep problems enhances CG treatment effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marike Lancel
- Department of Clinical Psychology & Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Psychiatric Sleep Center Assen, Mental Health Services Drenthe, the Netherlands.
| | - Margaret Stroebe
- Department of Clinical Psychology & Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten C Eisma
- Department of Clinical Psychology & Experimental Psychopathology, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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Huggins C, Hinkson G. Signs of Traumatic Grief, Lack of Justice, Magnitude of Loss, and Signs of Resilience Following the Homicidal Loss of Their Adult Child Among Caribbean Black Mothers. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2020; 84:914-934. [PMID: 32336201 DOI: 10.1177/0030222820921013] [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
This study examined the aftermath of adult homicide on Trinidadian mothers. This is an understudied population, and the ability of these mothers to cope with the aftermath of such a tragedy needs to be fully acknowledged in order to understand their mental health status after the traumatic death of an adult child. This study utilized a narrative analysis approach to interview 20 mothers and used NVIVO 12 software to analyze the data. The findings highlight that factors such as multiple deaths, the scale of loss, and attempts to seek justice complicated the grief process. Although none of the mothers interviewed were diagnosed with a grief disorder, it was evident that their grief was indeed traumatic. It took more than a year for some mothers to find ways and opportunities for resilience, while others continue to struggle in the aftermath. Homicidally bereaved mothers are a distinct population that should be studied as they have the experiential knowledge and are willing to share the feelings and trauma-related needs after their loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Huggins
- Behavioral Science, Social Work Unit, University of the West Indies at St. Augustine
| | - Glenda Hinkson
- Faculty of Social Science, University of Southern Caribbean
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Dodd A, Guerin S, Delaney S, Dodd P. Complicated grief knowledge, attitudes, skills, and training among mental health professionals: A qualitative exploration. DEATH STUDIES 2020; 46:473-484. [PMID: 32238122 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2020.1741048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The knowledge, attitudes, skills, and training of professionals regarding complicated grief influence their practice. We conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselor/psychotherapists; the preliminary findings were contextualized via interviews with three experts in complicated grief research/practice. Findings suggest that professionals did not substantially rely on research evidence, favoring instead personal and professional knowledge. They expressed concern regarding the possible pathologization of normal grief that might arise from having a diagnosis of complicated grief. Deficits in professional training were evident. A need for an improved culture of collaboration between researchers and practitioners was identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Dodd
- UCD School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Suzanne Guerin
- UCD School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Susan Delaney
- Irish Hospice Foundation, Morrison Chambers, Ireland
| | - Philip Dodd
- St Michael's House Intellectual Disability Service, Dublin, Ireland
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Zhang Y, Jia X. The Meaning of Bonds: The Relationships Among Grief Rituals, Support From Relatives and Friends, and the Mental Health of Shiduers. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2020; 84:709-724. [PMID: 32164480 DOI: 10.1177/0030222820909650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have sporadically explored the effect of various bonds on the mental health of shiduers (i.e., parents who lost their only child). However, research has rarely classified different bonds to systematically describe their effects. This study administered a self-compiled questionnaire, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, the posttraumatic stress disorder Checklist, the Prolonged Grief Questionnaire, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, and the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale to 466 shiduers. The commemoration rituals that occur soon after the loss predict a lower level of posttraumatic stress disorder. Similarly, the commemoration rituals that occur on special days predict lower levels of depression and anxiety. In contrast, the continuation of commemoration rituals on ordinary days predicts higher levels of depression and prolonged grief. Support from family members and relatives, other shiduers, and nonshiduer friends are all beneficial to shiduers' mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudi Zhang
- School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Science and Technology Beijing
| | - Xiaoming Jia
- School of Humanities and Social Science, Beijing Institute of Technology
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44
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Lichtenthal WG, Roberts KE, Catarozoli C, Schofield E, Holland JM, Fogarty JJ, Coats TC, Barakat LP, Baker JN, Brinkman TM, Neimeyer RA, Prigerson HG, Zaider T, Breitbart W, Wiener L. Regret and unfinished business in parents bereaved by cancer: A mixed methods study. Palliat Med 2020; 34:367-377. [PMID: 32020837 PMCID: PMC7438163 DOI: 10.1177/0269216319900301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prior research has demonstrated that the presence of regret and unfinished business is associated with poorer adjustment in bereavement. Though there is a growing literature on these constructs among caregivers of adult patients, the literature on regret and unfinished business in bereaved parents has been limited. AIM The aim of this study was to examine regret and unfinished business in parents bereaved by cancer, as well as their associations with caregiving experiences and prolonged grief. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional mixed methods study that utilized self-report questionnaires with open-ended items. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS The multisite study took place at a tertiary cancer hospital and pediatric cancer clinical research institution. Participants were 118 parents (mothers = 82, fathers = 36) who lost a child aged 6 months to 25 years to cancer between 6 months and 6 years prior. RESULTS Results showed that 73% of the parents endorsed regret and 33% endorsed unfinished business, both of which were more common among mothers than fathers (p ⩽ 0.05). Parents were on average moderately distressed by their regrets and unfinished business, and both regret-related and unfinished business-related distress were associated with distress while caregiving and prolonged grief symptoms. CONCLUSION Findings have implications for how providers work with families, including increasing treatment decision-making support, supporting parents in speaking to their child about illness, and, in bereavement, validating choices made. Grief interventions that use cognitive-behavioral and meaning-centered approaches may be particularly beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy G Lichtenthal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kailey E Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Schofield
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Justin J Fogarty
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Taylor C Coats
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Talia Zaider
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - William Breitbart
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.,Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lori Wiener
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Broden EG, Deatrick J, Ulrich C, Curley MA. Defining a "Good Death" in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Am J Crit Care 2020; 29:111-121. [PMID: 32114610 DOI: 10.4037/ajcc2020466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Societal attitudes about end-of-life events are at odds with how, where, and when children die. In addition, parents' ideas about what constitutes a "good death" in a pediatric intensive care unit vary widely. OBJECTIVE To synthesize parents' perspectives on end-of-life care in the pediatric intensive care unit in order to define the characteristics of a good death in this setting from the perspectives of parents. METHODS A concept analysis was conducted of parents' views of a good death in the pediatric intensive care unit. Empirical studies of parents who had experienced their child's death in the inpatient setting were identified through database searches. RESULTS The concept analysis allowed the definition of antecedents, attributes, and consequences of a good death. Empirical referents and exemplar cases of care of a dying child in the pediatric intensive care unit serve to further operationalize the concept. CONCLUSIONS Conceptual knowledge of what constitutes a good death from a parent's perspective may allow pediatric nurses to care for dying children in a way that promotes parents' coping with bereavement and continued bonds and memories of the deceased child. The proposed conceptual model synthesizes characteristics of a good death into actionable attributes to guide bedside nursing care of the dying child.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth G. Broden
- Elizabeth G. Broden is a doctoral student, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and a registered nurse, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Janet Deatrick
- Janet Deatrick is a professor emerita, Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
| | - Connie Ulrich
- Connie Ulrich is a professor, Department of Biobehavioral Health, School of Nursing, and a professor of bioethics, School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Martha A.Q. Curley
- Martha A.Q. Curley is the Ruth M. Colket Endowed Chair in Pediatric Nursing, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and a professor, Department of Family and Community Health, School of Nursing and Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
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Cozza SJ, Shear MK, Reynolds CF, Fisher JE, Zhou J, Maercker A, Simon N, Mauro C, Skritskaya N, Zisook S, Lebowitz B, Bloom CG, Fullerton CS, Ursano RJ. Optimizing the clinical utility of four proposed criteria for a persistent and impairing grief disorder by emphasizing core, rather than associated symptoms. Psychol Med 2020; 50:438-445. [PMID: 30829195 PMCID: PMC7025160 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719000254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Distinguishing a disorder of persistent and impairing grief from normative grief allows clinicians to identify this often undetected and disabling condition. As four diagnostic criteria sets for a grief disorder have been proposed, their similarities and differences need to be elucidated. METHODS Participants were family members bereaved by US military service death (N = 1732). We conducted analyses to assess the accuracy of each criteria set in identifying threshold cases (participants who endorsed baseline Inventory of Complicated Grief ⩾30 and Work and Social Adjustment Scale ⩾20) and excluding those below this threshold. We also calculated agreement among criteria sets by varying numbers of required associated symptoms. RESULTS All four criteria sets accurately excluded participants below our identified clinical threshold (i.e. correctly excluding 86-96% of those subthreshold), but they varied in identification of threshold cases (i.e. correctly identifying 47-82%). When the number of associated symptoms was held constant, criteria sets performed similarly. Accurate case identification was optimized when one or two associated symptoms were required. When employing optimized symptom numbers, pairwise agreements among criteria became correspondingly 'very good' (κ = 0.86-0.96). CONCLUSIONS The four proposed criteria sets describe a similar condition of persistent and impairing grief, but differ primarily in criteria restrictiveness. Diagnostic guidance for prolonged grief disorder in International Classification of Diseases, 11th Edition (ICD-11) functions well, whereas the criteria put forth in Section III of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) are unnecessarily restrictive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J. Cozza
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, BethesdaMD20814, USA
| | | | | | - Joscelyn E. Fisher
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, BethesdaMD20814, USA
| | - Jing Zhou
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, BethesdaMD20814, USA
| | | | | | - Christine Mauro
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Sidney Zisook
- University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Carol S. Fullerton
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, BethesdaMD20814, USA
| | - Robert J. Ursano
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, BethesdaMD20814, USA
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Prevalence and associated factors of prolonged grief disorder in Chinese parents bereaved by losing their only child. Psychiatry Res 2020; 284:112766. [PMID: 31951871 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.112766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In China, parents who have lost their only child and remained childless are labelled Shidu () parents. Previous research suggests high levels of psychological distress in this population, yet little is known regarding the prevalence of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) based on the new ICD-11 formulation. The present study examined prevalence rates and associated factors of prolonged grief disorder in this population. 1030 Chinese Shidu parents (381 male, 643 female) who were recruited through convenient sampling completed questionnaires assessing grief severity. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine socio-demographic, loss-related and self-reported number of chronic physical conditions associated with PGD symptoms. Results showed prevalence rate was 35.5% based on the ICD-11 PGD criteria, which was almost twice as that of Prigerson et al. (2009) criteria. Younger age of parents, being a mother, living in a rural place, lower monthly income per capital, shorter time since loss and more comorbid chronic physical conditions were related to severer PGD symptoms. The present findings revealed high rates of PGD experienced by Chinese Shidu parents and identified key risk factors which can be used for future prevention or intervention designs in this population.
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48
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Szuhany KL, Young A, Mauro C, Garcia de la Garza A, Spandorfer J, Lubin R, Skritskaya NA, Hoeppner SS, Li M, Pace-Schott E, Zisook S, Reynolds CF, Shear MK, Simon NM. Impact of sleep on complicated grief severity and outcomes. Depress Anxiety 2020; 37:73-80. [PMID: 31916662 PMCID: PMC6956727 DOI: 10.1002/da.22929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Complicated grief (CG) is characterized by persistent, impairing grief after losing a loved one. Little is known about sleep disturbance in CG. Baseline prevalence of subjective sleep disturbance, impact of treatment on sleep, and impact of mid-treatment sleep on CG and quality of life outcomes were examined in adults with CG in secondary analyses of a clinical trial. METHODS Patients with CG (n = 395, mean age =53.0; 78% female) were randomized to CGT+placebo, CGT+citalopram (CIT), CIT, or placebo. Subjective sleep disturbance was assessed by a grief-anchored sleep item (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index: PSQI-1) and a four-item sleep subscale of the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-4). Sleep disturbance was quantified as at least one QIDS-4 item with severity ≥2 or grief-related sleep disturbance ≥3 days a week for PSQI-1. Outcomes included the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), and Clinical Global Impressions Scale. RESULTS Baseline sleep disturbance prevalence was 91% on the QIDS-4 and 46% for the grief-anchored PSQI-1. Baseline CG severity was significantly associated with sleep disturbance (QIDS-4: p = .015; PSQI-1: p = .001) after controlling for comorbid depression and PTSD. Sleep improved with treatment; those receiving CGT+CIT versus CIT evidenced better endpoint sleep (p = .027). Mid-treatment QIDS-4 significantly predicted improvement on outcome measures (all p < .01), though only WSAS remained significant after adjustment for mid-treatment ICG (p = .02). CONCLUSIONS Greater CG severity is associated with poorer sleep beyond PTSD and depression comorbidity. Additional research including objective sleep measurement is needed to optimally elucidate and address sleep impairment associated with CG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin L Szuhany
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Allison Young
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Christine Mauro
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Angel Garcia de la Garza
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York
| | - Julia Spandorfer
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Rebecca Lubin
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | | | - Susanne S Hoeppner
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Ed Pace-Schott
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sidney Zisook
- University of California San Diego, San Diego, California
- San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California
| | - Charles F Reynolds
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Naomi M Simon
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York
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Seiler A, von Känel R, Slavich GM. The Psychobiology of Bereavement and Health: A Conceptual Review From the Perspective of Social Signal Transduction Theory of Depression. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:565239. [PMID: 33343412 PMCID: PMC7744468 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.565239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Losing a spouse is considered one of the most stressful life events a person can experience. Particularly in the immediate weeks and months after the loss, bereavement is associated with a significantly increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Despite an abundance of research aimed at identifying risk factors for adverse health outcomes following marital death, the mechanisms through which mental and physical health problems emerge following bereavement remain poorly understood. To address this issue, the present review examines several pathways that may link bereavement and health, including inflammation and immune dysregulation, genetic and epigenetic changes, gut microbiota activity, and biological aging. We then describe how these processes may be viewed from the perspective of the Social Signal Transduction Theory of Depression to provide a novel framework for understanding individual differences in long-term trajectories of adjustment to interpersonal loss. Finally, we discuss several avenues for future research on psychobiological mechanisms linking bereavement with mental and physical health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annina Seiler
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roland von Känel
- Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - George M Slavich
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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50
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Reconsidering early parental grief following the death of a child from cancer: a new framework for future research and bereavement support. Support Care Cancer 2019; 28:4131-4139. [DOI: 10.1007/s00520-019-05249-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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