This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Payne, S. Articles by Relf, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Payne, S. Articles by Relf, M. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

The assessment of need for bereavement follow-up in palliative and hospice care

Lecturer in Psychology and Health, University of Southampton, Southampton

M. Relf

Sir Michael Sobell House, Churchill Hospital, Oxford

This paper describes a postal survey of palliative care services and teams which were identified in the 1992 Directory of Hospice Services in the UK and Ireland. Its aims were to investigate how units assess the need for bereavement follow-up, and to determine the nature and extent of services provided for bereaved adults. We sent out 397 questionnaires, of which 187 were returned, a response rate of 47%. Results indicate that 156 respondents (84%) provided follow-up and a further 13 (7%) were planning bereavement services. Only 48 (25%) units undertook formal standardized risk assessment procedures to allocate appropriate services; in 41 units (85%) this was done by a nurse. Of the remaining 125 units, 58 (46%) reported basing their decisions on clinical impressions. Content analysis of the formal assessment instruments revealed 39 subcategories, which were broadly grouped into three areas: circumstantial factors at or near to the time of death, personal factors and social factors. Recommendations are made for further study.

Key Words: bereavement • counselling • hospice care • risk factors

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 8, No. 4, 291-297 (1994)
DOI: 10.1177/026921639400800404


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Y. Chow, C. L. Chan, S. M. Ho, D. M. Tse, M. H. Suen, and K. F. Yuen Qualitative study of Chinese widows in Hong Kong: insights for psycho-social care in hospice settings Palliative Medicine, July 1, 2006; 20(5): 513 - 520. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. Yi, P. Barreto, C. Soler, M. Fombuena, V. Espinar, L. Pascual, R. Navarro, R. Gonzalez, J. Bernabeu, and J. Suarez Grief support provided to caregivers of palliative care patients in Spain Palliative Medicine, July 1, 2006; 20(5): 521 - 531. [Abstract] [PDF]

				T Matsushima, A Akabayashi, and K Nishitateno The current status of bereavement follow-up in hospice and palliative care in Japan Palliative Medicine, March 1, 2002; 16(2): 151 - 158. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Payne The role of volunteers in hospice bereavement support in New Zealand Palliative Medicine, March 1, 2001; 15(2): 107 - 115. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. J Franks, C. Salisbury, N. Bosanquet, E. K Wilkinson, S. Kite, A. Naysmith, and I. J Higginson The level of need for palliative care: a systematic review of the literature Palliative Medicine, March 1, 2000; 14(2): 93 - 104. [Abstract] [PDF]