Preloss grief in family caregivers during end‐of‐life cancer care: A nationwide population‐based cohort study

Abstract

Severe preloss grief symptoms were significantly associated with distress, low preparedness, and little communication during caregiving. Thus, severe preloss grief symptoms may be a key indicator for complications in caregivers of cancer patients in an end-of-life trajectory. Targeted interventions are needed to support family caregivers with severe preloss grief symptoms. Development of preloss grief assessment tools and interventions should be a priority target in future research.

Prevalence and determinants of depression in caregivers of cancer patients

“…[ 33 , 31 , 46 ] This association has significant impact on caregivers facing an end-of-life trajectory for a close relative. [ 30 , 31 ] Bereaved families endure long-term grief and familial caregivers’ severe depressive symptoms gradually decrease over a couple of year after the death of the cancer patient. However, prolonged grief in bereavement is predictable by modifiable factors before, during, and after bereavement which indicates that bereavement risk assessment and facilitation and preparedness for the patient's death can help in improving depression symptoms in caregivers.…”

Family-centered bereavement practices in Danish intensive care units: a cross-sectional national survey

“…However, most studies of bereavement support fail to distinguish between types of grief. As one of the desired outcomes of follow-up services is to assist in the prevention of complicated grief (Nielsen et al 2017b) with signs of prolonged grief, by definition, occuring six months after bereavement. It is difficult therefore to determine how the bereavement interventions, as described in this study, would have an effect on complicated grief.…”

Understanding Family Caregiver Communication to Provide Family-Centered Cancer Care

“…30 Information about the patient’s prognosis and plan of care should be individualized to family caregiver preferences and caregivers also need support for sharing this information with other family members and, if applicable, with the patient. 30 There is a need to cultivate communication skills for caregivers to empower them to advocate for the patient. 36 …”

“…5 Family avoidance of cancer contributes to patient depression and anxiety, 29 and low levels of communication about dying within the family and little communication during caregiving is associated with pre-loss grief symptoms. 30 …”