Experiencing missing contact with professionals and long term bereavement outcome

Emilie Stendahl Ramstad; Laura Sabroe Thegen; Mai-Britt Guldin; Mette Asbjoern Neergaard; Mette Kjaergaard Nielsen

doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.09.006

Experiencing missing contact with professionals and long term bereavement outcome

Emilie Stendahl Ramstad^*, Laura Sabroe Thegen, Mai-Britt Guldin, Mette Asbjoern Neergaard, Mette Kjaergaard Nielsen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

CONTEXT: The Danish health care system provides palliative care for terminally ill patients and their family caregivers. However, initiatives to support family caregivers are not systematically organized.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the association between self-reported experience of missing contact to health care professionals involved in palliative care, and symptoms of grief and depression three years post-loss.

METHODS: We conducted a prospective population-based survey of 3635 family caregivers to terminally ill patients. At six months follow-up, the caregivers reported whether they missed contact to the general practitioner, home care nurse, hospital staff, and/or palliative care team. Associations between missing contact and symptoms of prolonged grief (Prolonged-Grief-13) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II) three years after bereavement were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: We found that an experience of missing contact with health care professionals six months after bereavement was significantly associated with symptoms indicative of prolonged grief disorder and depression after three years. The strongest association was found for missing contact with the general practitioner with an adjusted OR = 4.0 (95%CI: 1.9;8.3) for prolonged grief and an adjusted OR = 5.2 (95% CI: 3.4;7.9) for depression.

CONCLUSION: Experiencing missing contact with health care professionals shortly after bereavement was associated with adverse psychological reactions. Family caregivers may benefit from bereavement support to prevent further complications. A proactive approach with assessment of support needs and risk of complications early during the patient's illness trajectory may target support at those who needs it.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
Volume	65
Issue	1
Pages (from-to)	38-46
Number of pages	9
ISSN	0885-3924
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.09.006
Publication status	Published - Jan 2023

Keywords

Bereavement
Complicated grief
Depression
Family caregiver
Health care professionals

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1-s2.0-S0885392422008958-mainFinal published version, 677 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{6b5307bdef2e463a8f7a60f4d476a128,

title = "Experiencing missing contact with professionals and long term bereavement outcome",

abstract = "CONTEXT: The Danish health care system provides palliative care for terminally ill patients and their family caregivers. However, initiatives to support family caregivers are not systematically organized.OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the association between self-reported experience of missing contact to health care professionals involved in palliative care, and symptoms of grief and depression three years post-loss.METHODS: We conducted a prospective population-based survey of 3635 family caregivers to terminally ill patients. At six months follow-up, the caregivers reported whether they missed contact to the general practitioner, home care nurse, hospital staff, and/or palliative care team. Associations between missing contact and symptoms of prolonged grief (Prolonged-Grief-13) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II) three years after bereavement were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: We found that an experience of missing contact with health care professionals six months after bereavement was significantly associated with symptoms indicative of prolonged grief disorder and depression after three years. The strongest association was found for missing contact with the general practitioner with an adjusted OR = 4.0 (95%CI: 1.9;8.3) for prolonged grief and an adjusted OR = 5.2 (95% CI: 3.4;7.9) for depression.CONCLUSION: Experiencing missing contact with health care professionals shortly after bereavement was associated with adverse psychological reactions. Family caregivers may benefit from bereavement support to prevent further complications. A proactive approach with assessment of support needs and risk of complications early during the patient's illness trajectory may target support at those who needs it.",

keywords = "Bereavement, Complicated grief, Depression, Family caregiver, Health care professionals",

author = "Ramstad, {Emilie Stendahl} and Thegen, {Laura Sabroe} and Mai-Britt Guldin and Neergaard, {Mette Asbjoern} and Nielsen, {Mette Kjaergaard}",

year = "2023",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.09.006",

language = "English",

volume = "65",

pages = "38--46",

journal = "Journal of Pain and Symptom Management",

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Experiencing missing contact with professionals and long term bereavement outcome. / Ramstad, Emilie Stendahl; Thegen, Laura Sabroe; Guldin, Mai-Britt et al.
In: Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, Vol. 65, No. 1, 01.2023, p. 38-46.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Experiencing missing contact with professionals and long term bereavement outcome

AU - Ramstad, Emilie Stendahl

AU - Thegen, Laura Sabroe

AU - Guldin, Mai-Britt

AU - Neergaard, Mette Asbjoern

AU - Nielsen, Mette Kjaergaard

PY - 2023/1

Y1 - 2023/1

N2 - CONTEXT: The Danish health care system provides palliative care for terminally ill patients and their family caregivers. However, initiatives to support family caregivers are not systematically organized.OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the association between self-reported experience of missing contact to health care professionals involved in palliative care, and symptoms of grief and depression three years post-loss.METHODS: We conducted a prospective population-based survey of 3635 family caregivers to terminally ill patients. At six months follow-up, the caregivers reported whether they missed contact to the general practitioner, home care nurse, hospital staff, and/or palliative care team. Associations between missing contact and symptoms of prolonged grief (Prolonged-Grief-13) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II) three years after bereavement were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: We found that an experience of missing contact with health care professionals six months after bereavement was significantly associated with symptoms indicative of prolonged grief disorder and depression after three years. The strongest association was found for missing contact with the general practitioner with an adjusted OR = 4.0 (95%CI: 1.9;8.3) for prolonged grief and an adjusted OR = 5.2 (95% CI: 3.4;7.9) for depression.CONCLUSION: Experiencing missing contact with health care professionals shortly after bereavement was associated with adverse psychological reactions. Family caregivers may benefit from bereavement support to prevent further complications. A proactive approach with assessment of support needs and risk of complications early during the patient's illness trajectory may target support at those who needs it.

AB - CONTEXT: The Danish health care system provides palliative care for terminally ill patients and their family caregivers. However, initiatives to support family caregivers are not systematically organized.OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the association between self-reported experience of missing contact to health care professionals involved in palliative care, and symptoms of grief and depression three years post-loss.METHODS: We conducted a prospective population-based survey of 3635 family caregivers to terminally ill patients. At six months follow-up, the caregivers reported whether they missed contact to the general practitioner, home care nurse, hospital staff, and/or palliative care team. Associations between missing contact and symptoms of prolonged grief (Prolonged-Grief-13) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II) three years after bereavement were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: We found that an experience of missing contact with health care professionals six months after bereavement was significantly associated with symptoms indicative of prolonged grief disorder and depression after three years. The strongest association was found for missing contact with the general practitioner with an adjusted OR = 4.0 (95%CI: 1.9;8.3) for prolonged grief and an adjusted OR = 5.2 (95% CI: 3.4;7.9) for depression.CONCLUSION: Experiencing missing contact with health care professionals shortly after bereavement was associated with adverse psychological reactions. Family caregivers may benefit from bereavement support to prevent further complications. A proactive approach with assessment of support needs and risk of complications early during the patient's illness trajectory may target support at those who needs it.

KW - Bereavement

KW - Complicated grief

KW - Depression

KW - Family caregiver

KW - Health care professionals

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U2 - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.09.006

DO - 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2022.09.006

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36115501

SN - 0885-3924

VL - 65

SP - 38

EP - 46

JO - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

JF - Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

IS - 1

ER -

Experiencing missing contact with professionals and long term bereavement outcome

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