The COVID-19 Pandemic: Bereavement Experiences Between Hospital and Home Deaths in Palliative Care.

Lobb, E; Maccallum, F; Phillips, JL; Agar, M; Hosie, A; Breen, LJ; Tieman, J; DiGiacomo, M; Luckett, T; Philip, J; Ivynian, S; Chang, S; Dadich, A; Harlum, J; Gilmore, I; Kinchin, I; Grossman, C; Glasgow, N

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Bereavement Experiences Between Hospital and Home Deaths in Palliative Care.

Lobb, E Maccallum, F Phillips, JL Agar, M Hosie, A

Breen, LJ Tieman, J DiGiacomo, M

Luckett, T

Philip, J Ivynian, S

Chang, S Dadich, A Harlum, J Gilmore, I Kinchin, I

Grossman, C Glasgow, N

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: J Pain Symptom Manage, 2023, pp. S0885-3924(23)00765-0
Issue Date:: 2023-11-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Lobb, E
dc.contributor.author	Maccallum, F
dc.contributor.author	Phillips, JL
dc.contributor.author	Agar, M
dc.contributor.author	Hosie, A https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1674-2124
dc.contributor.author	Breen, LJ
dc.contributor.author	Tieman, J
dc.contributor.author	DiGiacomo, M https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5484-8224
dc.contributor.author	Luckett, T https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6121-5409
dc.contributor.author	Philip, J
dc.contributor.author	Ivynian, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6984-8702
dc.contributor.author	Chang, S
dc.contributor.author	Dadich, A
dc.contributor.author	Harlum, J
dc.contributor.author	Gilmore, I
dc.contributor.author	Kinchin, I https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0133-2763
dc.contributor.author	Grossman, C
dc.contributor.author	Glasgow, N
dc.date.accessioned	2023-12-06T03:17:45Z
dc.date.available	2023-10-24
dc.date.available	2023-12-06T03:17:45Z
dc.date.issued	2023-11-15
dc.identifier.citation	J Pain Symptom Manage, 2023, pp. S0885-3924(23)00765-0
dc.identifier.issn	0885-3924
dc.identifier.issn	1873-6513
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173753
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: Australian COVID-19 public health measures reduced opportunities for people to communicate with healthcare professionals and be present at the death of family members/friends. AIM: To understand if pandemic-specific challenges and public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted end-of-life and bereavement experiences differently if the death, supported by palliative care, occurred in a hospital or at home. DESIGN: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by bereaved adults during 2020-2022. Analyses compared home and in-patient palliative care deaths and bereavement outcomes. Additional analyses compared health communication outcomes for those identified as persons responsible or next of kin. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Of 744 bereaved people; 69% (n = 514) had a death in hospital and 31% (n = 220) at home. RESULTS: The COVID-19 public health measures influenced people's decision to die at home. Compared to hospital deaths, the home death group had higher levels of grief severity and grief-related functional impairment. Only 37% of bereaved people received information about bereavement and support services. 38% of participants who were at least 12 months postdeath scored at a level suggestive of possible prolonged grief disorder. Levels of depression and anxiety between the two groups were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need for health services to recognize bereavement as fundamental to palliative and health care and provide pre- and post death grief and bereavement care to ensure supports are available particularly for those managing end-of-life at home, and that such supports are in place prior to as well as at the time of the death.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation.ispartof	J Pain Symptom Manage
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.10.025
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	11 Medical and Health Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Anesthesiology
dc.subject.classification	32 Biomedical and clinical sciences
dc.subject.classification	42 Health sciences
dc.title	The COVID-19 Pandemic: Bereavement Experiences Between Hospital and Home Deaths in Palliative Care.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.location.activity	United States
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHERE - Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHT - Health Technologies
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/IMPACCT
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Centre for Health Technologies (CHT)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2023-12-06T03:17:44Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Australian COVID-19 public health measures reduced opportunities for people to communicate with healthcare professionals and be present at the death of family members/friends. AIM: To understand if pandemic-specific challenges and public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted end-of-life and bereavement experiences differently if the death, supported by palliative care, occurred in a hospital or at home. DESIGN: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by bereaved adults during 2020-2022. Analyses compared home and in-patient palliative care deaths and bereavement outcomes. Additional analyses compared health communication outcomes for those identified as persons responsible or next of kin. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Of 744 bereaved people; 69% (n = 514) had a death in hospital and 31% (n = 220) at home. RESULTS: The COVID-19 public health measures influenced people's decision to die at home. Compared to hospital deaths, the home death group had higher levels of grief severity and grief-related functional impairment. Only 37% of bereaved people received information about bereavement and support services. 38% of participants who were at least 12 months postdeath scored at a level suggestive of possible prolonged grief disorder. Levels of depression and anxiety between the two groups were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need for health services to recognize bereavement as fundamental to palliative and health care and provide pre- and post death grief and bereavement care to ensure supports are available particularly for those managing end-of-life at home, and that such supports are in place prior to as well as at the time of the death.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/173753