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Factors During a Child's Illness Are Associated With Levels of Prolonged Grief Symptoms in Bereaved Mothers and Fathers
Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Department of Health Care Sciences, Palliative Research Centre, PRC.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4142-5967
Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Department of Health Care Sciences, Palliative Research Centre, PRC. Karolinska institutet.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8185-781X
Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Department of Health Care Sciences, Palliative Research Centre, PRC. Uppsala universitet.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5523-8126
2020 (English)In: Journal of Clinical Oncology, ISSN 0732-183X, E-ISSN 1527-7755, Vol. 38, no 2, p. 137-144Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Purpose: Previous research shows that bereaved parents are at an increased risk for intense and prolonged grief responses. To offer effective support to parents during a child's cancer treatment and after their child's death, more knowledge is needed about factors related to the child's illness trajectory that may contribute to prolonged grief in bereaved parents and about possible sex differences related to such factors. Therefore, we examined possible contributing factors associated with prolonged grief in cancer-bereaved mothers and fathers 1 to 5 years after their child died of cancer.

Methods: We studied data from a population-based nationwide survey, including 133 mothers and 92 fathers who had lost a child to cancer 1 to 5 years earlier, using univariable and multiple regression analyses to assess the associations between prolonged grief and possible contributing variables.

Results: The variables associated with lower levels of prolonged grief symptoms for mothers were being able to talk about feelings within the family (P = .00) and trusting that health care professionals made every possible effort to cure the child (P = .01). The statistically significantly associated variables for fathers were having said farewell to the deceased child in the way they wanted (P = .00) and feeling that they had received practical support from health care professionals during the child's illness trajectory (P = .01).

Conclusion: We found factors during the illness of children with cancer that contributed to prolonged grief for parents; these were different for mothers and fathers. The results may have implications for design of family bereavement support within pediatric oncology care, including addressing the differing needs of mothers and fathers more effectively.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2020. Vol. 38, no 2, p. 137-144
National Category
Nursing
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:esh:diva-7982DOI: 10.1200/JCO.19.01493PubMedID: 31725342OAI: oai:DiVA.org:esh-7982DiVA, id: diva2:1392150
Available from: 2020-02-06 Created: 2020-02-06 Last updated: 2020-09-29Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Bereaved mothers and fathers: Grief and psychological health 1 to 5 years after losing a child to cancer
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Bereaved mothers and fathers: Grief and psychological health 1 to 5 years after losing a child to cancer
2020 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Bereaved parents often experience severe suffering and are at elevated risk for developing grief complications such as prolonged grief and other negative psychological health outcomes. The general aim of this thesis was to investigate symptoms of prolonged grief, depression, posttraumatic stress, anxiety, rumination, and sleep disturbance in parents who had lost a child to cancer 1 to5 years earlier. Attention was also given to the potential impact on the parents’grief of their experiences during the child’s illness, and finally to the parents’ views on their coping with grief. Methods: A cross-sectional design for data collection was used for all four studies in this thesis. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data analysis, to provide various and complementing perspectives on bereaved parents’ grief and their psychological health. Results:Bereaved parents’ symptom levels of prolonged grief and psychological symptoms were found to be elevated and neither time- nor gender-dependent across the first five years after the loss. We also found that some of the parents’experiences during their child’s illness were associated with their grief and psychological symptoms. These factors differed for mothers and fathers. Mothers valued trustful relations with health care professionals, while fathers reported better psychological health when they had received support in practical matters. Findings also showed that parents found certain factors facilitated or complicated their coping with grief. Unsurprisingly, social support promoted positive coping with grief, while a less familiar factor – going back to work – could make coping with grief harder. Clinical implications: The findings provide knowledge which can improve the care for children, through development of support to their parents in pediatric oncology contexts and in bereavement.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, 2020. p. 80
Series
Avhandlingsserie inom området Människan i välfärdssamhället, ISSN 2003-3699 ; 3
Keywords
Bereavement, grief, pediatric oncology, parents, psychological health
National Category
Nursing
Research subject
The Individual in the Welfare Society, Palliative Care
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:esh:diva-8006 (URN)978-91-985808-3-9 (ISBN)
Public defence
2020-04-17, Aulan, Campus Ersta, Stigbergsgatan 30, Stockholm, 09:30 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2020-03-27 Created: 2020-03-17 Last updated: 2023-09-22Bibliographically approved

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Pohlkamp, LilianKreicbergs, UlrikaSveen, Josefin

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