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Akmese I, Foreman T, Brooks G. Bereavement During and Not During the Pandemic in Terms of Complicated Grief and Social Support. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2024:302228241240944. [PMID: 38502887 DOI: 10.1177/00302228241240944] [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: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Mandated measures to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus (e.g., social distancing and travel restrictions) led to isolation and reshaped the dying process as well as grief rituals for loved ones of deceased individuals due to COVID-19 and other causes of death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference between those who lost a loved one during and not during the global pandemic in terms of complicated grief and perceived social support. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was employed, surveying 580 individuals, all of whom had experienced the loss of a loved one. Our findings suggest that bereavement during the COVID-19 era uniquely intensified the Complicated Grief experience. However, the perceived social support did not vary based on the timing of the bereavement. The strengths, limitations, and future research directions are further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Akmese
- Department of Counseling and Higher Education, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Tamarine Foreman
- Department of Counseling and Higher Education, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Gordon Brooks
- Department of Educational Studies, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
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2
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Denckla CA, Hahn J, Cowden RG, Ho S, Gao K, Espinosa Dice AL, Jha SC, Kang JH, Shear MK. Bereavement, Memorial Attendance, and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Results from the Nurses' Health Study. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2023; 31:1045-1057. [PMID: 37460375 PMCID: PMC10299945 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mortality increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many bereaved individuals were not able to gather to memorialize their loved ones, yet it is unknown if this contributed to worsening mental health. OBJECTIVE Examine the association of bereavement in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic with subsequent psychological distress and the role of memorial attendance in reducing psychological distress among the bereaved. DESIGN, SETTINGS, SUBJECTS In May 2020, 39,564 older females from the Nurses' Health Study II enrolled in a longitudinal COVID-19 substudy (meanage = 65.2 years, SD = 4.5). METHODS Linear regression analyses estimated associations of bereavement reported between March and October, 2020 with subsequent psychological distress between January and October 2021, adjusting for sociodemographic and prepandemic depression symptoms. Secondary models examined associations between memorial attendance and psychological distress. RESULTS Bereavement during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher psychological distress (adjusted β = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.26) assessed over the next year. Among the bereaved, memorial attendance was associated with lower psychological distress (in-person: adjusted β = -0.41, 95% CI: -0.53, -0.29; online: adjusted β = -0.24, 95% CI: -0.46, --0.02). CONCLUSION Attending memorials was associated with lower subsequent psychological distress among bereaved older females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy A Denckla
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CAD, JH), Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA.
| | - Jill Hahn
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CAD, JH), Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Richard G Cowden
- Human Flourishing Program (RGC, SH), Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Samuel Ho
- Human Flourishing Program (RGC, SH), Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
| | - Katie Gao
- Department of Neuroscience, Harvard University (KG), Cambridge, MA
| | | | - Shaili C Jha
- Department of Epidemiology (ALED, SCJ), Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA
| | - Jae H Kang
- Channing Division of Network Medicine (JHK), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | - M Katherine Shear
- Center for Prolonged Grief, Columbia University School of Social Work (MKS), Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
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Goveas JS. Underscoring the Significance of Memorial Attendance in Reducing Future Psychological Distress in Bereaved Older Women. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2023; 31:1058-1061. [PMID: 37543462 DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph S Goveas
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI.
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Najafi F, Mardanian Dehkordi L, Khodayari S, Jaafarpour M, Nasrabadi AN. Nurses' bereavement experiences of a deceased colleague due to COVID-19: A phenomenological study. Nurs Open 2023; 10:7233-7243. [PMID: 37608498 PMCID: PMC10563403 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1976] [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: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM Healthcare workers have little time to mourn due to the intensification of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although grief is a normal part of life and death, the circumstances surrounding the death can affect the grieving process. So far, the nurses' experience in mourn for a deceased colleague in the COVID-19 pandemic has not been determined. Identifying these experiences can provide opportunities to formulate appropriate strategies to functionally adapt to death and promote mental health and well-being during this crisis. This study aimed to understand the nurses' experiences in mourning for a deceased colleague due to COVID-19. DESIGN This was an interpretive phenomenological study. METHOD Participants included 10 nurses with the bereavement experience following the death of a colleague due to COVID-19, who were selected through purposive sampling, and the data were collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews and analysed using Diekelmann et al.'s (1989) approach. RESULTS The nurses' bereavement experiences were in the form of eight themes: disbelief and amazement, acceptance with grief, lasting sadness, unsung laments, bringing back memories, impulse to leave the service, a professional myth and holy death. For nurses, mourning for the death of a colleague due to COVID-19 is like a lasting sadness that begins with disbelief and amazement and changes to acceptance with sadness. From the fellow nurses' point of view, this type of death was perceived as a holy death, which along with countless unsung laments and memories brought to us the association of a professional legend, and that such a fate would be inevitable for us as well, it was a push to leave the service. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Crisis managers and policymakers need to add protocols and training programs for resilience skills and healthy mourning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Najafi
- Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing and MidwiferyIlam University of Medical SciencesIlamIran
| | | | - Sajad Khodayari
- Department of Critical Care Nursing, School of Nursing and MidwiferyTehran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Molouk Jaafarpour
- Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and MidwiferyIlam University of Medical SciencesIlamIran
| | - Alireza Nikbakht Nasrabadi
- Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and MidwiferyTehran University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
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Buckley A, Dodd A, Guerin S. Grief and bereavement in the time of COVID-19: a thematic analysis exploring psychotherapists’ observations of clients’ experiences. COUNSELLING PSYCHOLOGY QUARTERLY 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/09515070.2023.2186834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Buckley
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Anne Dodd
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
| | - Suzanne Guerin
- School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Ireland
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Voultsos P, Tsompanian A, Deligianni M, Tsamadou E, Tsaroucha AK. A qualitative study of nursing practitioners' experiences with COVID-19 patients dying alone in Greece. Front Public Health 2022; 10:981780. [PMID: 36339201 PMCID: PMC9634155 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.981780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In Greece, there is still limited research on death in isolation due to COVID-19. This deserves attention because of the recent financial crisis, which profoundly impacted public health, and the high relevance of the Hippocratic tradition to the moral values of clinical practice. Methods A prospective qualitative study using in-depth interviews with 15 frontline nursing practitioners working in a COVID-19 ward or intensive care unit (ICU) was conducted from July 2021 to December 2021. Results The inability of family members to say a final goodbye before, during, or after death by performing proper mourning rituals is extremely inhuman and profoundly impacts the mental health status of patients, family members, and nursing practitioners. Patients and their family members strongly desire to see each other. Epidemiology, liability, and proper nursing performance emerged as reasons for the enforced strict visitation restrictions. Participants emphasized that visitations should be allowed on an individual basis and highlighted the need for the effective use of remote communication technology, which, however, does not substitute for in-person contact. Importantly, physicians allowed "clandestine" visits on an individual basis. Nursing practitioners had a strong empathic attitude toward both patients and their families, and a strong willingness to provide holistic care and pay respect to dead bodies. However, they also experienced moral distress. Witnessing heartbreaking scenes with patients and/or their families causes nursing practitioners to experience intense psychological distress, which affects their family life rather than nursing performance. Ultimately, there was a shift from a patient-centered care model to a population-centered care model. Furthermore, we identified a range of policy- and culture-related factors that exaggerate the negative consequences of dying alone of COVID-19. Conclusion These results reinforce the existing literature on several fronts. However, we identified some nuances related to political decisions and, most importantly, convictions that are deeply rooted in Greek culture. These findings are of great importance in planning tailored interventions to mitigate the problem of interest and have implications for other similar national contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polychronis Voultsos
- Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Anna Tsompanian
- Postgraduate Program on Bioethics, Laboratory of Bioethics and Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Maria Deligianni
- Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eftychia Tsamadou
- Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandra K. Tsaroucha
- Postgraduate Program on Bioethics, Laboratory of Bioethics and Laboratory of Experimental Surgery and Surgical Research, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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Khubchandani J, Sharma S, Webb FJ, Wiblishauser MJ, Sharma M. COVID-19 Infection among Family and Friends: The Psychological Impact on Non-Infected Persons. Brain Sci 2022; 12:1123. [PMID: 36138859 PMCID: PMC9497068 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12091123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the mental health impact of having a family member or friend infected with COVID-19. Thus, the purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive national assessment of the psychological impact of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, or death among family members and friends. A multi-item valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online to recruit adults in the U.S. A total of 2797 adult Americans without a history of COVID-19 infection participated in the study and reported that they had a family member or friend infected with (54%), hospitalized due to (48%), or die (36%) of COVID-19 infection. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both (i.e., psychological distress) were statistically significantly higher among those who had family members/friends infected, hospitalized, or die due to COVID-19. Also, this study found that the greater the number of family members/friends affected by COVID-19, or the more severe the COVID-19 infection outcome (i.e., hospitalization vs. death), the higher the odds of symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both. There is an urgent need to develop educational interventions and implement policy measures that address the growing mental health needs of this subgroup of the population that was not infected but indirectly affected by COVID-19 infections among social networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jagdish Khubchandani
- College of Health, Education & Social Transformation, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Sushil Sharma
- Provost Office, Texas A&M University Texarkana, Texarkana, TX 75503, USA
| | - Fern J. Webb
- College of Medicine, University of Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32209, USA
| | - Michael J. Wiblishauser
- School of Education, Health Professions & Human Development, University of Houston-Victoria, Victoria, TX 77901, USA
| | - Manoj Sharma
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89119, USA
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Lightbody S, Catt L, Ahmad A, Glover D, Whitney J, Hasan S. Bereavement in the Time of COVID-19: Learning from Experiences of those Bereaved as a Result of Deaths in an Acute Hospital Setting in 2020. OMEGA-JOURNAL OF DEATH AND DYING 2022:302228221113214. [PMID: 35830345 PMCID: PMC9280121 DOI: 10.1177/00302228221113214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in many people experiencing bereavement in challenging circumstances. In April 2020 at a large London Trust, a "Bereavement Welfare Hub" was established to offer support and advice by telephone to relatives and carers of all adults who died as inpatients. Data from BWH call records regarding 809 adults who died at the Trust in March, April and May 2020 were collated. A random selection of 149 call records were examined using thematic analysis. Six themes which influenced the bereavement experiences and grief status of call recipients were identified. These included family and community support, care up to the point of death, communication, care after death and death rituals and customs. Several factors positively and negatively influenced the experiences of people bereaved during the first wave of COVID-19. From these findings, recommendations have been made which have the potential to improve the bereavement experience, particularly during the pandemic era.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lorraine Catt
- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Aysha Ahmad
- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - David Glover
- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Julie Whitney
- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sharmeen Hasan
- King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Cherblanc J, Gagnon C, Côté I, Bergeron-Leclerc C, Cadell S, Gauthier G, Boelen PA. French-Canadian validation of the Traumatic Grief Inventory-Self Report (TGI-SR). DEATH STUDIES 2022; 47:430-439. [PMID: 35686539 DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2022.2085347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The Traumatic Grief Inventory Self-Report (TGI-SR), which aims to assess both Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder and Prolonged Grief Disorder, has been validated in several languages. This study sought to validate the French-Canadian version. We conducted an online survey exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on grief. With data from 728 participants, the scale demonstrated high internal consistency, correlated significantly with three other scales known to measure similar concepts, and distinguished between groups known to be different. This study supports the use of the TGI-SR French-Canadian version by clinicians and researchers to assess complications of grief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques Cherblanc
- Humanities and Social Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Canada
| | - Cynthia Gagnon
- Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Maladies Neuromusculaires, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Hôpital de Jonquière, Saguenay, Canada
| | - Isabelle Côté
- Humanities and Social Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Canada
- Groupe de Recherche Interdisciplinaire sur les Maladies Neuromusculaires, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Hôpital de Jonquière, Saguenay, Canada
| | | | - Susan Cadell
- School of Social Work, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Geneviève Gauthier
- Humanities and Social Sciences, Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, Chicoutimi, Canada
| | - Paul A Boelen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, Diemen, Netherlands
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