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Blogger's Note/Opinion: the abstract is one of a few which is written in plain english and with an empathetic 'tone' both of which set it apart from many psycho-oncology papers
Psychological Distress of the Bereaved Seeking Medical Counseling at a Cancer Center
Abstract
Objective The death of
a loved one is one of the most stressful events in life and is related
to the physical and psychological wellbeing
of the bereaved. Some bereaved individuals seek
medical counseling to alleviate their distress. However, no studies have
focused
on the bereaved who have lost a loved one to
cancer and have asked for medical help at a cancer center as a result.
The aim
of this study was to investigate the distress of
the bereaved who sought consultation, as basic information for
considering
support.
Methods We conducted a
survey of people consulting outpatient services for bereaved families
between April 2007 and September 2009.
Data were obtained from medical records at
initial consultation and qualitatively analyzed by content analysis
using all statements
related to their distress.
Results Their
statements were classified into 11 categories, which were further
classified into six themes. The main categories of
bereavement-related distress were as follows:
(i) regret; (ii) anger; (iii) memories; (iv) loneliness; (v) anxiety;
and (vi)
hopelessness. ‘Regret’ was frequently recognized
in their distress and it includes some points related to the cancer
trajectory.
Conclusions
Psychological distresses of the bereaved who have lost a loved one and
have asked for medical counseling are revealed. Their
distresses are strongly related to the cancer
trajectory of a family member. Some of these distresses are related to
medical
misunderstanding about the course of cancer.
These findings might provide basic information for considering their
appropriate
treatment.
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