Objective amidst the greatest health crisis in history triggered by COVID-19, this documental study was intended to understand the meanings individuals who have lost loved ones in this context assign to the phenomenon of suppressed funeral rituals. Method based on the theory of grief, the corpus of this study was composed of documents published in digital media containing personal writings and reports of experiences freely and easily available to the public. Two researchers with expertise in the field used inductive thematic analysis to interpret data. Results the experiences shared in the reports reflect the suffering experienced by the sudden death of a significant person, which is amplified by the absence or impediment to performing familial farewell rituals. The suppression or abbreviation of funeral rituals is a traumatic experience because family members are prevented from fulfilling their last homage to the loved one who has suddenly passed away, causing feelings of disbelief and indignation. Conclusion alternatives and new ways to celebrate passage rituals in emergencies of strong social commotion such as a pandemic are needed to provide support and comfort to family members, friends, and relatives. These rituals help survivors to overcome the critical moment, decreasing the risk of developing complicated grief.

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Anemia Falciforme (AF) é uma doença hematológica, genética e crônica, que muitas vezes requer hospitalizações e exige atendimento ambulatorial constante. O objetivo deste estudo é descrever as etapas de elaboração de um livro com o propósito de encorajar conversas com crianças com AF sobre a doença, explicando seu funcionamento, sintomatologia e limitações acarretadas no cotidiano. Foram seguidas as seguintes etapas: a) elaboração do projeto, b) seleção de conteúdos, por meio de revisão da literatura sobre sintomatologia e limitações decorrentes da AF; c) elaboração da história: escolha da escola como cenário e da personagem Amanda, uma menina preta, como protagonista do livro; d) elaboração do livro piloto; e) revisão e validação por especialistas: o material foi analisado por psicólogos e médicos com experiência no assunto e crianças sem diagnóstico clínico; f) adequação da linguagem e conteúdos: foram realizadas as adaptações sugeridas; g) nova submissão do material aos especialistas; h) finalização do livro: o material foi ilustrado, catalogado e impresso. Os principais tópicos abordados na história foram: necessidade de eventuais faltas na escola, restrições de atividades físicas escolares, definições da doença, crise, sintomas e tratamento. O enredo encerra com a possibilidade de inserir o paciente com AF em uma rotina adaptada na escola e com dicas para pais e professores. O material produzido poderá ser utilizado em diversos contextos, como na saúde e na escola. Além do caráter educativo, o livro poderá ser usado como material intermediário facilitador para a expressão afetiva das crianças com AF que se identificaram com a vivência da personagem Amanda. (Apoio: Programa Unificado de Bolsas da Universidade de São Paulo - PUB-USP).

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BackgroundMultiple Sclerosis (MS) and Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) are chronic autoimmune diseases that comprise physical and psychological aspects. Disease progression is usually associated with a continuous decline in quality of life. In this devastating scenario, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has emerged as an alternative treatment, improving physical outcomes and, at the same time, restoring a more normal life. Quality of life evaluations may be used to measure the effects of therapeutic interventions, considering their impact on patient life in the medium and long term.ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of HSCT on the Quality of Life (QoL) of SSc (G1) and MS (G2).MethodsIn this comparative, longitudinal, cross-sectional study, 56 patients (22 SSc and 34 MS) were included. The Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 36 (MOS SF-36) scale, used for data collection, mainly assesses the physical health component (PHC) and the mental health component (MHC). The PHC encompasses the following domains: physical functioning (PF), role limitations due to physical problems (RPF), bodily pain (P) and general health perceptions (GHP). The MHC comprises: vitality (VIT), social functioning (SRF), role limitations due to emotional role functioning (ERF) and general mental health (MH). The results of each domain range from 0 to 100, where zero represents the worst and 100 the best state of health. Data were collected at admission and at 2-years after transplantation. Results underwent statistical analysis. Significance levels were established at p<0.05.ResultsThe study included intragroup comparisons (Pre vs post-HSCT; Table 1) and intergroup comparisons (G1 vs G2; Table 2)Abstract THU0712HPR Table 1- Mean and median scores of SF-36 domains, before and after HSCT in G1 (n = 22) and G2 (n = 34)Abstract THU0712HPR Table 2– Comparison of the mean scores of SF-36 domains, in G1 (n = 22) and G2 (n = 34), before and at 2 years after HSCTIn the intragroup analyses, comparing pre and post-HSCT scores, there was general improvement in both disease groups, especially in G2. The intergroup comparisons indicate that before HSCT patients in G1 had better FP than those in G2 (p = 0.03). The other aspects were not significantly different between groups. After HSCT, patients in G2 had a better QoL scores in P (p = 0.4338), GHP (p = 0.0001) and MH (p = 0.0049).ConclusionThese results may be interpreted as positive outcomes of HSCT for MS and SSc. However, our data indicate that HSCT may benefit patients with MS (G2) more than those with SSc (G1).References[1] Guimarães FAB, et al. Impact of autologous HSCT on the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis. Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, v. 68, p. 522-527, 2010.Disclosure of InterestsNone declared