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COVID-19 has led to unprecedented health and social measures in several countries, including major restrictions on funeral rituals. These restrictions concerned pre-mortem, peri-mortem and post-mortem rites. Based on a longitudinal study of 955 French-speaking Canadians bereaved of a loved one during the pandemic, this article describes the reality of these impediments. Through an analysis of the quantitative and qualitative data collected, it is possible to identify the gap between desired and realized funeral rituals during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show important hindrances to the various desired rituals, yet some ritual and symbolic creativity by the bereaved. La Covid-19 a entraine dans plusieurs pays des mesures sociosanitaires inedites, notamment des restrictions majeures aux rituels funeraires. Ces empechements ont concerne tant les rites pre-mortem, peri-mortem que post-mortem. A partir d'une etude longitudinale debutee en mars 2021 aupres de 955 personnes francophones canadiennes endeuillees d'un proche pendant la pandemie, cet article propose de decrire la realite vecue de ces empechements. Par une analyse des donnees quantitatives et qualitatives recueillies, il est possible d'identifier l'ecart entre les rituels funeraires souhaites et realises pendant la premiere annee de la pandemie de Covid-19. Les resultats montrent d'importantes privations des differents rites souhaites, mais egalement une certaine creativite rituelle et symbolique de la part des personnes endeuillees., INTRODUCTION La Covid-19 a entraine dans plusieurs pays des mesures sociosanitaires inedites qui ont eu des effets collateraux majeurs sur la qualite de vie et la sante (e.g., Gloster et [...]

Purpose: The aim of this scoping review is to systematically scope the literature on social work, the COVID-19 pandemic, and health policy. The research question guiding the scoping review is: What are the policy issues emerging during the COVID-19 pandemic that are of importance for social workers working in health and mental health? Method: Scoping review methodology following Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework. Results: A final sample of 191 articles were included in the scoping review. The five themes identified are: (a) strengthening social work's capacity to address structural issues in practice, (b) gaps in social work education, (c) need for new and updated standards and guidelines, (d) need for professional clarity and professional supports, and (e) inadequate government response. Conclusions: By strengthening uptake of the policy-practice framework, social work practitioners concurrently address immediate client issues and address upstream factors perpetuating inequities emerging during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Children with progressive metabolic, neurological, or chromosomal conditions and their families anticipate an unknown lifespan, endure unstable and often painful symptoms, and cope with erratic emotional and spiritual crises as the condition progresses along an uncertain trajectory towards death. Much is known about the genetics and pathophysiology of these diseases, but very little has been documented about the trajectory of symptoms for children with these conditions or the associated experience of their families. A longitudinal study design will help to close this gap in knowledge. Methods/Design Charting the Territory is a longitudinal descriptive, correlational study currently underway with children 0-19 years who are diagnosed with progressive neurological, metabolic, or chromosomal conditions and their families. The purpose of the study is to determine and document the clinical progression of the condition and the associated bio-psychosocial-spiritual experiences of the parents and siblings age 7-18 years. Approximately 300 families, both newly diagnosed children and those with established conditions, are being recruited in six Canadian cities. Children and their families are being followed for a minimum of 18 months, depending on when they enroll in the study. Family data collection will continue after the child's death if the child dies during the study period. Data collection includes monthly parental assessment of the child's symptoms; an annual functional assessment of the child; and completion of established instruments every 6 months by parents to assess family functioning, marital satisfaction, health status, anxiety, depression, stress, burden, grief, spirituality, and growth, and by siblings to assess coping and health. Impact of participation on parents is assessed after 1 year and at the end of the study. Chart reviews are conducted at enrollment and at the conclusion of the study or at the time of the child's death. Discussion Knowledge developed from this study will provide some of the first-ever detailed descriptions of the clinical symptom trajectory of these non-curable progressive conditions and the bio-psychosocial-spiritual aspects for families, from diagnosis through bereavement. Information about developing and implementing this study may be useful to other researchers who are interested in designing a longitudinal study.

On July 6, 2013, a train with 72 crude oil tank cars derailed in the heart of Lac-Mégantic, a small municipality of 6,000 inhabitants located in Québec (Canada). This tragedy killed 47 people. Technological disasters are rarely studied in bereavement research, and train derailments even less. The goal of this article is to increase our understanding of the bereavement consequences of technological disasters. Specifically, we aim to identify the factors that lead to the experience complicated grief and distinguish from the protective factors. A representative population-based survey was conducted among 268 bereaved people, three and a half years after the train accident. Of these, 71 people (26.5%) experienced complicated grief. People with complicated grief (CG) differ significantly from those without CG in terms of psychological health, perception of physical health, alcohol use and medication, as well as social and professional relationships. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis identified four predictive factors for CG: level of exposure to the disaster, having a negative perception of the event, as well as having a paid job and low-income increase the risk of CG. The importance of having health and social practitioners pay attention to these factors of CG are discussed along with future directions for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore individuals' self-construals after the loss of a partner from HIV/AIDS for whom they were a caregiver. Seven gay or transsexual bereaved caregivers were interviewed after the death of their partners. The data revealed patterns suggestive of A. Aron and E. N. Aron's (1986) "inclusion of others in the self" (IOS) with partners described as part of participants' identity. Using the metaphor of the IOS, the results illustrate how care-giving became a part of the self as well as aspects of the partner. Upon the death of the partner, the loss resulted in a crisis of meaning due to the loss of the person and relationship that had contributed significance and purpose to life. Regaining meaning involved making sense of both the relationship and the caregiving role.

Coping theory and research have long focused on negative outcomes. However, a growing body of literature has indicated that individuals may experience certain benefits from stressful life events. This research explored the positive and negative changes in caregivers' lives after caring for someone who had died of complications related to HIV/AIDS. Fifteen participants with either high or low scores of posttraumatic growth were interviewed. Data were analyzed from a grounded theory standpoint using open, axial, and selective coding. All of the individuals interviewed were undergoing or had undergone a process of finding meaning in their bereavement, in HIV disease in general, or both. Themes of distress, growth, humor, support, spirituality, fear of death, and the intertwining of support and spirituality emerged from the data. This research contributes to the growing areas of concentration on strengths and positive outcomes in coping. In addition, the results echo the re-emergence of interest in spirituality and social work.

The Traumatic Grief Inventory Self-Report (TGI-SR), which aims to assess both Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder and Prolonged Grief Disorder, has been validated in several languages. This study sought to validate the French-Canadian version. We conducted an online survey exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on grief. With data from 728 participants, the scale demonstrated high internal consistency, correlated significantly with three other scales known to measure similar concepts, and distinguished between groups known to be different. This study supports the use of the TGI-SR French-Canadian version by clinicians and researchers to assess complications of grief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents who experience the sudden death of a child will interact with many professionals in the period immediately following the death notification through to the funeral. The way these professionals respond to the parents during this critical period may be perceived as helpful, and thus support them in beginning the process of managing the trauma and starting a healthy grieving process. It may also be perceived as unhelpful, though, and contribute to more prolonged and complicated grieving. This article identifies the interventions that a sample of 20 parents who had experienced the sudden death of a child found helpful with different aspects of grieving. Specific advice is given to police, nurses, doctors, coroners, social workers, crisis counselors, funeral directors, and chaplains or clergy.