Omega

Canada has experienced a steady increase in homicide. Specifically, out of the 10 provinces and 3 territories, Ontario has consistently experienced the highest number of homicides, the majority concentrated within predominantly African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Despite this disproportionate reality, there is limited research on the ways in which survivors of homicide victims cope with the murder of their loved ones. This article explores the identification and characterization of coping strategies for ACB survivors of homicide victims residing in five neighbourhoods in the GTA...

This mixed-method research study delves into the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on loss and mental health in Italy. The analysis uncovers a significant correlation between COVID-19 fear and heightened anxiety, depression, and stress, exacerbated by social isolation and misinformation. The loss of loved ones during the pandemic intensifies distress, with 28% showing signs of prolonged disorder and 22.8% displaying maladaptive grief symptoms. Distress persists across pandemic phases (59.3% critical, 54...

The objective of the study was to examine potential associations between positive youth development constructs (gratitude, future orientation, purpose in life) and psychological functioning (posttraumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, maladaptive grief reactions) among bereaved youth and test whether these associations vary by age. A diverse sample of 197 clinic-referred bereaved youth (56.2% female; M = 12.36, SD = 3.18; 36.1% Hispanic, 23.7% White, 20.1% Black, 11.9% Multiracial, and 8.2% another race/ethnicity) completed self-report measures of psychological functioning and positive youth development constructs...

Experiencing the homicide of a loved one has a substantial impact on the mental health of family members and friends who must survive their loved one's tragic death. This systematic review aims to synthesize the current findings on post-homicide factors and identify the factors most frequently related to the mental health of homicidally bereaved individuals (HBI). Four databases were searched (PsycINFO, SCOPUS, Sociological Abstract, PubMed). The selection of studies was based on a peer review process conducted by two independent researchers to ensure interrater reliability...

Adolescents bereaved by suicide and other traumatic death may experience strong grief reactions and increased risks of mental health problems and suicidal behaviour. As timely access to professional help can be critical, it is essential to understand how counselors perceive suicide bereavement in adolescents and how they work with this population. This study aimed to examine the perspectives of counselors ( N = 34). Eleven participated in an individual semi-structured interview and 23 others in group interviews...

This systematic review employs a socio-ecological framework to investigate the challenges that arise due to early spousal loss. The research team conducted a systematic review of studies published between 2013 and 2023 to uncover factors that influence the grieving process in bereaved spouses. The results reveal that concurrent with the grief and devastation associated with partner loss, young widows and widowers also face a harsh reality filled with secondary losses, financial difficulty, mental health distress, emotional anguish, and identity crises...

In the German context, research is lacking on the support experiences and unmet needs of informal caregivers in end-of-life situations who are geographically distanced from their ill relatives. The current study aimed at deepening our understanding of the specific end-of-life support experiences and needs of informal long-distance caregivers. The study employed an explorative design, applying qualitative interviews. Thirty-three long-distance family caregivers participated in the study (December 2021-October 2022)...

Objective : This study aimed to assess the relationship between coping strategies, social support, mindfulness, and death anxiety among TB survivors. Methods : A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. A convenience sample of 120 adult patients diagnosed with TB were enrolled from public hospital. Results : The patients had moderate death anxiety (M = 45.3, SD = 6.88). However, TB patients reported high perceived coping strategies, great social support, and dispositional mindfulness. The death anxiety was negatively associated with mindfulness (r = -0...

This study was conducted to examine the effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)-based psychoeducation on anger control and death anxiety in individuals receiving chemotherapy. The research was completed as a pretest-posttest experimental design with 80 individuals who received chemotherapy (40 control, 40 experimental). The data were collected using the Personal Information Form, the Controlled Anger Scale (CAR), and the Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). Individuals in the experimental group received eight sessions of CBT-based psychoeducation...

While previous research has explored the impact of migration status on experiences and attributions about pregnancy loss, less common is comparative research examining similarities and differences between migrants and non-migrants. This paper reports on a cross sectional comparative study of 623 culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) or non-CALD people living in Australia. Participants completed a survey that asked about experiences of pregnancy loss, support, and attributions about pregnancy loss. There were no differences between the two groups in terms of rates of pregnancy loss, though CALD participants reported greater distress following a loss...

Grief is a universal experience, but for approximately 1 in 10 individuals, grief can become impairing. Despite servicemembers' frequent exposure to death, research on grief in the military remains limited. The purpose of the study was to explore the prevalence and correlates of complicated grief (CG) in military primary care. A quantitative survey was conducted with 161 non-treatment-seeking service members, veterans, and their dependents, of whom 138 reported a significant loss. Results revealed that 35% of the respondents who were bereaved met the cut-off score of 25 on the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG)...

Mandated measures to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus (e.g., social distancing and travel restrictions) led to isolation and reshaped the dying process as well as grief rituals for loved ones of deceased individuals due to COVID-19 and other causes of death. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference between those who lost a loved one during and not during the global pandemic in terms of complicated grief and perceived social support. A cross-sectional quantitative approach was employed, surveying 580 individuals, all of whom had experienced the loss of a loved one...

This study was carried out to examine the experiences of nursing department students regarding earthquakes with a phenomenological approach. The type of research is phenomenological research, one of the qualitative research methods. The research was carried out with 22 nursing students who experienced the earthquake in the Turkey earthquake on February 6, 2023. The data were collected using the "Semi-Structured Interview Form". In this study, "earthquake experience" was discussed as a phenomenon, and the data obtained from the phenomenon after content analysis were evaluated in five themes as follows: Experiences during the earthquake, experiences after the earthquake, search-rescue operations, social support and daily life after the earthquake...

Nagas are a small Indigenous tribal community that inhabits the northeastern region of India. It is inhabited by seventeen recognized tribes including non-Naga tribe of Kuki and Kachari with rich cultural diversity and customary practices. Modernity has been one of the most debated topics, in this regard the paper argues on the responsibility of modernity. The study mainly focuses on the two major tribes of Nagaland that is the Ao tribe and the Angami tribe, as to how the cultural practices in disposing of death is contested and negotiated in contemporary society...

Children's grief, in perinatal loss, can be misunderstood and overlooked. Parental behaviour while mourning infant loss and parental ability to respond to their own grief has a crucial role in the child's grief. This study aimed to explore parental behaviour as a determining factor in siblings' grief following perinatal death. Six mothers and two fathers experiencing perinatal loss were interviewed about their perception of the child's experience of perinatal death. Thematic analysis allowed for identifying of relevant themes...

End-of-life (EoL) planning and the drafting of advance care directives (ACD) are challenging for older adults. As part of a mixed study, the content of 18 semi-structured interviews with Swiss community-dwelling older adults was analyzed to investigate contextual and interactional aspects that might influence their choice to complete ACD. Results show that EoL planning vary greatly. Three types of planners were highlighted: the solo planners, the collaborative planners, and the delegators. Each represents a specific way of conceiving autonomy, the usefulness of ACD and of involving third parties in the decision-making process...

Tools to measure layout people's knowledge about palliative care are very limited. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Palliative Care Knowledge Scale (PaCKS) in Turkish on layout people other than healthcare professionals. Perception of Health Scale (PHS) and European Health Literacy Survey (EHLS) scales were used to ensure concurrent validity of PaCKS. Cronbach's alpha value of the scale was found to be .846. In item analysis, item-total score correlations were found to be between ...

The loss of a close one to drug-related death (DRD) has been characterized as a form of stigmatized bereavement, and research has shown that there is a high risk of bereavement complications. Social support can be a buffer against bereavement complications, but because of stigma, DRD bereaved persons access to social support can be challenged. Based on data from a Norwegian sample of DRD bereaved persons ( N = 252) the present study examines (1) bereaved persons' perceived access to different aspects of social support, and (2) the association between bereaved persons' experiences of societal stigma, own withdrawal, self-blame, and their perceptions of social support...

Hospital nurses are expected to care for dying patients. Such care provokes many undesired emotions and attitudes that affect the quality of care. This study aims to assess the attitudes of Jordanian nurses toward caring for dying patients in addition to examining the relationship between nurses' attitudes toward caring for dying patients and their selected characteristics. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional research design was used to recruit a total of 290 Jordanian nurses from two hospitals in Jordan...

In this paper we examine the traditional mortuary rites of the South Fore people of Papua New Guinea using Robert Hertz's theory of secondary burial and the three mechanisms of mourning identified by Daniel Lagache. The ethnographic data that we obtained on South Fore interpretations of their own mortuary rites showed that all forms of corpse handling achieved the same end results through the process of secondary burial. Furthermore, the three mechanisms of mourning applied equally to all forms of corpse disposal and we found no evidence to support psychosexual interpretations of mortuary anthropophagy which emphasise aggression...