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Problematic substance use (PSU) has documented consequences for the person using substances and people close to that person. This meta-ethnography aims to provide insight into how families experience family life when adult family members PSU is present. The titles and abstracts of 24,423 retrieved studies were assessed against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fifteen qualitative primary articles, including 393 different family members experiences, were included. The included articles described families from different countries with various socioeconomic status. An unknown invisible intrusion was established as the overarching metaphor. This metaphor was accompanied by three main themes: Taking over the family life, Family survival, and An invisible family. The theme Taking over the family life reflects how PSU affected the family structures and how overwhelming the families experienced these problems. The theme Family survival reflects how family members tried to adapt to life with PSU, while An invisible family reflects how families experienced loneliness and lack of help. We suggest that professionals should move from a one-sided focus on PSU to understanding the consequences as a longlasting intrusion into family life. This includes both disciplinary development and interventions that enhance family relational practices.

Background and aims: Drug-related death (DRD) is a major public health concern in the Nordic countries, in the rest of Europe and in the US. After a DRD, approximately 10–15 next of kin will be left behind. People bereaved after sudden and unexpected deaths have a documented higher risk of reduced quality of life, daily functioning, and early death. It is important to know the resources professional helpers have available to them, the barriers and possibilities they face in their work, and how they can respond to the needs of the bereaved. This knowledge can help prevent severe health and social consequences of bereavement following a DRD. In this systematic review, the aim was to explore knowledge regarding professional helpers’ experiences of providing assistance to people bereaved after a DRD. Methods: Inclusion criteria were empirical studies of professional helpers’ first-person perspectives on meeting the bereaved after a DRD. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies were included. Results: The results show that there are no studies addressing professional helpers’ experiences of providing assistance to the bereaved after a DRD. Conclusion: There is a vital need to develop more knowledge of professional helpers’ perspectives. This knowledge is important not only to improve education and the quality of health and social services, but also to help raise awareness of the bereaved after a DRD.

The aim of this study is to explore the burdens on siblings prior to their siblings’ deaths. A qualitative approach using reflexive thematic analysis was chosen. Fourteen interviews were conducted. The research question for this study is as follows: What did the bereaved siblings’ efforts consist of while their siblings with problematic substance use were alive? The interviews had a retrospective focus; hence, participants were asked to discuss the time prior to their siblings’ drug‐related death. Three different tasks were identified using reflexive thematic analysis: (1) emotional support, (2) social inclusion and (3) practical support. The findings of this study are discussed in relation to homoeostasis. Homoeostasis refers to an understanding of the family as a system in which family rules contribute to maintaining the status quo.

Vitenskapelig publikasjon «Hun var jo bare en rusmisbruker» Stigmatisering av etterlatte ved narkotikarelaterte dødsfall «She Was Nothing but a Drug Addict» Stigmatization of the Bereaved after Drug Related Deaths

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