The COVID-19 pandemic has changed dying and grief: Will there be a surge of complicated grief?

Jordan, Timothy R.; Wotring, Amy; McAfee, Colette A; Polavarapu, Mounika; Cegelka, Derek; Wagner-Greene, Victoria R.; Hamdan, Zena

doi:10.1080/07481187.2021.1929571

Cited by 26 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Compared to those who did not have a family member/friend die due to COVID-19, those who had one or more than one person die were significantly more likely to have symptoms of both depression and anxiety (24% vs. 39% vs. 51%). Studies before the pandemic established the relationship between sudden deaths in the family, bereavement, prolonged grief, and multidimensional psychological distress [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented circumstances with mass bereavement, inability to see loved ones before death, overwhelming stress and fear, disruption of rituals/traditions, unusual management of dead bodies and funerals (to contain infection), unexpected life changes or alterations in family responsibilities and caregiving, losing a head of the household or income earners, multiple infected members in the household, and lack of emotional and social support for families who have lost a family member due to COVID-19 infection [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies before the pandemic established the relationship between sudden deaths in the family, bereavement, prolonged grief, and multidimensional psychological distress [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 ]. The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented circumstances with mass bereavement, inability to see loved ones before death, overwhelming stress and fear, disruption of rituals/traditions, unusual management of dead bodies and funerals (to contain infection), unexpected life changes or alterations in family responsibilities and caregiving, losing a head of the household or income earners, multiple infected members in the household, and lack of emotional and social support for families who have lost a family member due to COVID-19 infection [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ]. Unsurprisingly, the highest odds of psychological distress were observed among those who lost more than one family member or friend due to COVID-19 [AOR = 3.22 (95% CI = 2.61–3.96)].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additional initiatives and interventions are being explored by regional professional organizations, community-based agencies, worksites, and schools [ 33 , 34 , 36 , 37 ]. Experts have also made recommendations on bereavement services, grief counseling, coping with stress during public health emergencies, trauma-informed approaches to public mental health promotion, and best practices for healthcare workers who deal with psychological distress among patients and their relatives [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 38 , 39 , 40 ]. However, there remains a lack of coordinated national programs across countries to provide direct consumer services to address mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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COVID-19 Infection among Family and Friends: The Psychological Impact on Non-Infected Persons

et al. 2022

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Little is known about the mental health impact of having a family member or friend infected with COVID-19. Thus, the purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive national assessment of the psychological impact of COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, or death among family members and friends. A multi-item valid and reliable questionnaire was deployed online to recruit adults in the U.S. A total of 2797 adult Americans without a history of COVID-19 infection participated in the study and reported that they had a family member or friend infected with (54%), hospitalized due to (48%), or die (36%) of COVID-19 infection. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both (i.e., psychological distress) were statistically significantly higher among those who had family members/friends infected, hospitalized, or die due to COVID-19. Also, this study found that the greater the number of family members/friends affected by COVID-19, or the more severe the COVID-19 infection outcome (i.e., hospitalization vs. death), the higher the odds of symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both. There is an urgent need to develop educational interventions and implement policy measures that address the growing mental health needs of this subgroup of the population that was not infected but indirectly affected by COVID-19 infections among social networks.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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COVID-19 Infection among Family and Friends: The Psychological Impact on Non-Infected Persons

et al. 2022

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“…The funeral ritual has been present for millennia across countries, cultures and religions, most often preceded by family presence during the dying period, followed by gathering together to say goodbye ( Jordan et al, 2021 ). Evidence suggests that mourning rituals play an important role in the grieving process.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The impact of this need for isolation in the form of social distancing and/or an inability to be present at death or during dying, is likely to have then been further compounded by a reduction in the numbers of those able to be present at the funeral ( Neimeyer & Lee, 2021 ). This lack of social support, and of comfort given and received, has seen a changed landscape of dying and of grief ( Jordan et al, 2021 ). It has also seen a marked change in mortuary practices and the responsibility of funeral directors ( Dijkhuizen et al, 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Funerals: Experiences of Participants in the 2020 Dying2Learn Massive Open Online Course

2022

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A Massive-Open-Online-Course (MOOC) on death and dying (Dying2Learn) was offered in 2020, designed to build conversations about death as a natural part of life. In week 1, the content focused on how today’s society engages with death through the language we use, humour, public mourning and funerals. This study investigated 2020 MOOC participants’ responses to an online activity reflecting on funerals and memorials during the time of COVID-19. From this activity, n = 204 responses were analysed qualitatively. Themes included the positives and negatives of virtual funeral attendance (e.g. opportunity to have a way to participate when travel barriers existed, versus a sense of impersonal voyeurism); and the challenges related to the inability to physically comfort the bereaved due to physical distancing requirements. Comments made as part of this MOOC activity provide a unique insight into the community’s experience of funeral changes necessitated by COVID-19, with important implications for the grieving process.

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A scoping review of cultural issues concerning institutional quarantine and isolation during major multi‐country outbreaks in Africa: 2000–2023

Oduwole,

Amzat,

Aluko‐Arowolo

et al. 2024

Health Science Reports

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Background and AimsInfectious disease outbreaks pose significant challenges in Africa due to its ecology, socioeconomic conditions, and weak health systems. Implementing institutional quarantine and isolation (Q&I) measures is crucial for managing major outbreaks. However, the cultural context often determines the success of these measures. This scoping review aims to examine existing evidence on the cultural aspects of institutional Q&I in Africa over the past two decades, focusing on the COVID‐19 pandemic and other major multi‐country disease outbreaks.MethodsThis scoping review's protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework registry. Nine research databases were systematically searched to retrieve all relevant literature, followed by deduplication and a two‐stage screening process using the Rayyan web application. The inclusion of any literature into this review was based on a set of eligibility criteria. Also, manual searching of the reference lists of included literature was done to retrieve any other eligible literature. From the included literature, data were charted, collected, and summarized.FindingsOut of the 787 articles retrieved from the database searches, this review found only one to be eligible for inclusion. Also, no other eligible article was obtained after manual searching of the reference list for this article. The reviewed article presented empirical findings on the impact of COVID‐19 Q&I protocols on traditional burial rites in Ghana. Many Ghanaian families were against their country's protocol because they felt it was insensitive to their traditional values and burial practices. Also, the way the protocol was implemented made some Ghanaian families feel that foreign burial practices were imposed on them, which bred feelings of cultural exclusion and neglect (by the government) among Ghanaians.ConclusionResearch evidence on the cultural implications of Q&I in Africa is very scanty. More research is needed on this topic of public health interest.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has changed dying and grief: Will there be a surge of complicated grief?

Cited by 26 publications

References 32 publications

COVID-19 Infection among Family and Friends: The Psychological Impact on Non-Infected Persons

COVID-19 Infection among Family and Friends: The Psychological Impact on Non-Infected Persons

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Funerals: Experiences of Participants in the 2020 Dying2Learn Massive Open Online Course

A scoping review of cultural issues concerning institutional quarantine and isolation during major multi‐country outbreaks in Africa: 2000–2023

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