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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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Abstract
Understanding the significance of rituals at the end-of-life enables health care professionals to offer meaningful and compassionate interventions that enhance quality of life and support those dying and those who grieve. Rituals contribute to the strength, capacity, and health of providers who cope with death events. Rituals help the living create continuing bonds with those dying, help with coping skills, and allow healthy growth through opportunities for naming, honoring, and memorializing. The display of respect and a nonjudgmental attitude create a space for support, trust, sharing of emotion, empowerment, and quality of care during end-of-life events.
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Affiliation(s)
- James C Pace
- NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, 433 First Avenue, New York, NY 10010, USA.
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