Support needs of Australians bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey study.

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

Support needs of Australians bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey study.

Ivynian, SE Maccallum, F Chang, S

Breen, LJ Phillips, JL Agar, M

Hosie, A

Tieman, J DiGiacomo, M

Luckett, T

Philip, J Dadich, A Grossman, C Gilmore, I Harlum, J Kinchin, I

Glasgow, N Lobb, EA

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Publisher:: PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: PLoS One, 2024, 19, (6), pp. e0304025
Issue Date:: 2024

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Ivynian, SE
dc.contributor.author	Maccallum, F
dc.contributor.author	Chang, S https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0723-3192
dc.contributor.author	Breen, LJ
dc.contributor.author	Phillips, JL
dc.contributor.author	Agar, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6756-6119
dc.contributor.author	Hosie, A https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1674-2124
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	Dadich, A
dc.contributor.author	Grossman, C
dc.contributor.author	Gilmore, I
dc.contributor.author	Harlum, J
dc.contributor.author	Kinchin, I https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0133-2763
dc.contributor.author	Glasgow, N
dc.contributor.author	Lobb, EA
dc.contributor.editor	López-Rodríguez, JA
dc.date.accessioned	2024-07-18T05:20:31Z
dc.date.available	2024-05-05
dc.date.available	2024-07-18T05:20:31Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.citation	PLoS One, 2024, 19, (6), pp. e0304025
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.issn	1932-6203
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/179786
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND: COVID-19 disrupted access to bereavement support. The objective of this study was to identify the bereavement supports used by Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic, perceived helpfulness of supports used, prevalence and areas of unmet support need, and characteristics of those with unmet support needs. METHODS: A convenience sample of bereaved adults completed an online questionnaire (April 2021-April 2022) about their bereavement experiences including support use and perceived helpfulness, unmet support needs and mental health. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine sociodemographic correlates of unmet needs. Open-ended responses were examined using content analysis to determine key themes. RESULTS: 1,878 bereaved Australians completed the questionnaire. Participants were mostly women (94.9%) living in major cities (68%) and reported the death of a parent (45%), with an average age of 55.1 years (SD = 12.2). The five most used supports were family and friends, self-help resources, general practitioners, psychologists, and internet/online community groups. Notably, each was nominated as most helpful and most unhelpful by participants. Two-thirds (66%) reported specific unmet support needs. Those with unmet needs scored lower on mental health measures. Correlates of unmet needs included being of younger age, being a spouse or parent to the deceased; reporting more impacts from public health measures, and not reporting family and friends as supports. The most frequent unmet need was for social support after the death and during lockdown. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the complexity of bereavement support needs during a pandemic. Specialised grief therapy needs to be more readily available to the minority of grievers who would benefit from it. A clear recommendation for a bereavement support action plan is to bolster the ability of social networks to provide support in times of loss. The fostering of social support in the wake of bereavement is a major gap that needs to be addressed in practice, policy, and research.
dc.format	Electronic-eCollection
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
dc.relation.ispartof	PLoS One
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1371/journal.pone.0304025
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	General Science & Technology
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Bereavement
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Pandemics
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Mental Health
dc.subject.mesh	Australasian People
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Bereavement
dc.subject.mesh	Mental Health
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Pandemics
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Australasian People
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	COVID-19
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Bereavement
dc.subject.mesh	Cross-Sectional Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires
dc.subject.mesh	Pandemics
dc.subject.mesh	SARS-CoV-2
dc.subject.mesh	Mental Health
dc.subject.mesh	Australasian People
dc.title	Support needs of Australians bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional survey study.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	19
utslib.location.activity	United States
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Research)
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
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/Faculty of Health/Public Health
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/All Manual Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/All Manual Groups/Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation (IMPACCT)
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/All Manual Groups/UTS Ageing Research Collaborative (UARC)
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/All Manual Groups/Women & Children’s Health Research Collaborative (WCHC)
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2024-07-18T05:20:28Z
pubs.issue	6
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	19
utslib.citation.issue	6

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 disrupted access to bereavement support. The objective of this study was to identify the bereavement supports used by Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic, perceived helpfulness of supports used, prevalence and areas of unmet support need, and characteristics of those with unmet support needs. METHODS: A convenience sample of bereaved adults completed an online questionnaire (April 2021-April 2022) about their bereavement experiences including support use and perceived helpfulness, unmet support needs and mental health. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to determine sociodemographic correlates of unmet needs. Open-ended responses were examined using content analysis to determine key themes. RESULTS: 1,878 bereaved Australians completed the questionnaire. Participants were mostly women (94.9%) living in major cities (68%) and reported the death of a parent (45%), with an average age of 55.1 years (SD = 12.2). The five most used supports were family and friends, self-help resources, general practitioners, psychologists, and internet/online community groups. Notably, each was nominated as most helpful and most unhelpful by participants. Two-thirds (66%) reported specific unmet support needs. Those with unmet needs scored lower on mental health measures. Correlates of unmet needs included being of younger age, being a spouse or parent to the deceased; reporting more impacts from public health measures, and not reporting family and friends as supports. The most frequent unmet need was for social support after the death and during lockdown. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the complexity of bereavement support needs during a pandemic. Specialised grief therapy needs to be more readily available to the minority of grievers who would benefit from it. A clear recommendation for a bereavement support action plan is to bolster the ability of social networks to provide support in times of loss. The fostering of social support in the wake of bereavement is a major gap that needs to be addressed in practice, policy, and research.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/179786