Clinical Psychology in Healthcare, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Caring Sciences, Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Acta Oncol. 2020 Mar;59(3):351-357. doi: 10.1080/0284186X.2019.1686535. Epub 2019 Nov 8.
Parents' needs of support following the loss of a child to cancer and whether these needs are met are not fully known. This study aimed to describe parents' needs, opportunity, and benefit of support from healthcare professionals and significant others from shortly after, up to five years after bereavement. Data were collected at nine months (T5, = 20), eighteen months (T6, = 37), and five years after the child's death (T7, = 38). Parents answered questions via telephone about need, opportunity, and benefit of talking to psychologists, social workers, partners, and friends. Needs were examined in relation to parent and child characteristics, including sex, age, and parent posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). The proportion reporting a need of support from psychologists varied from 56% and 46% at T5 to 20% and 6% at T7 (mothers and fathers, respectively). All mothers and 90% of fathers reported a need of support from social workers at T5. At T7, the corresponding percentages were 30% and 6%. More mothers than fathers reported a need of support from friends at T7 ( = .001). The proportion reporting a need of support from psychologists, social workers, and friends decreased over time (all ≤ .050). Parents reporting a higher level of PTSS were more likely to report a need of support from social workers at T6 ( = .040) and from psychologists ( = .011) and social workers ( = .012) at T7. Opportunities for support from healthcare professionals varied, most reported need of and opportunity for support from significant others. Almost all reported benefit from received support. Bereaved parents need and benefit of support from healthcare professionals and significant others. Results show a need for improved access to psychosocial services, even at five years post bereavement. Large-scale studies are needed to better understand the associations between parent and child characteristics and support needs.
父母在失去癌症患儿后的支持需求以及这些需求是否得到满足尚不完全清楚。本研究旨在描述父母在丧亲后不久（T5，n=20）、18 个月（T6，n=37）和 5 年后（T7，n=38）从医护人员和重要他人那里获得支持的需求、机会和获益。父母通过电话回答了有关与心理学家、社会工作者、伴侣和朋友交谈的需求、机会和获益的问题。需求与父母和孩子的特征有关，包括性别、年龄和父母的创伤后应激症状（PTSS）。报告需要心理学家支持的比例在 T5 时分别为 56%和 46%，在 T7 时分别为 20%和 6%（母亲和父亲）。所有母亲和 90%的父亲在 T5 时都报告需要社会工作者的支持。在 T7 时，相应的百分比分别为 30%和 6%。与父亲相比，更多的母亲在 T7 时报告需要朋友的支持（ = .001）。报告需要心理学家、社会工作者和朋友支持的比例随时间推移而降低（均 ≤ .050）。报告 PTSS 水平较高的父母更有可能在 T6 时报告需要社会工作者的支持（ = .040）和在 T7 时报告需要心理学家（ = .011）和社会工作者（ = .012）的支持。来自医护人员的支持机会各不相同，大多数人报告需要并获得了重要他人的支持。几乎所有人都报告从获得的支持中受益。丧亲父母需要并从医护人员和重要他人那里获得支持。结果表明需要改善获得心理社会服务的机会，即使在丧亲后 5 年也是如此。需要开展大规模研究，以更好地理解父母和孩子特征与支持需求之间的关系。
