The mental health crises of the families of COVID-19 victims: a qualitative study

Abstract

Background The bereaved families of COVID-19 victims are among the most vulnerable social groups in the COVID-19 pandemic. This highly infectious and contagious disease has afflicted these families with numerous psychological crises which have not been studied much yet. The present study is an attempt at investigating the psychological challenges and issues which the families of COVID-19 victims are faced with. The present study aims to identify the Mental Health crises which the families of COVID-19 deceased victims are going through. Methods A qualitative research, the present study uses a conventional content analysis design. The participants were 16 members of the families of COVID-19 victims selected from medical centers in Iran from February to May 2020 via purposeful sampling. Sampling continued to the point of data saturation Data were collected via semi-structured individual interviews conducted online. The collected data were analyzed according to the conventional qualitative content analysis approach. Results Analyses of the data yielded two main themes and seven categories. Emotional shock included (feelings of guilt and rumination, bitter farewell, strange burial and concern about unreligious burial), and fear of the future included (instability in the family, lack of job security and difficult financial conditions, Stigmatization and complications in social interactions). Conclusion The families of COVID-19 deceased victims are affected by various psychological crises which have exposed them to a deep sense of loss and emotional shock. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a cultural context which recognizes and supports all the various aspects of the mental health of these families.

Lived Experiences of Bereaved Family Members During COVID-19 Pandemic in a Tertiary Care Hospital With Special Reference to Imposed Restrictive COVID Guidelines—a Qualitative Study

“…The theme of Emotional shock consisting of catastrophizing, bitter farewell, stigmatization obtained in a study done in Iran was similar to our findings ( Mohammadi et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Similar studies have been done in France and in Iran in which few identical themes and subthemes were derived ( Kentish-Barnes et al, 2021 ; Mohammadi et al, 2021 ).…”

“…It is consequently possible that inability to be with their loved ones during their last days and not being able to carry out funeral rituals as per one’s faith, beliefs and traditions can have detrimental effects on the bereaved, affecting their mental health and ability to cope with or process their grief ( Gesi et al, 2020 ; Stroebe & Schut, 2020 ). Studies done by Mohammadi et al (2021) and Hamid and Jahangir (2020) have reported how changes in the funeral rituals have affected the grieving process in the Muslim community. Till date no studies have been done in Hindu culture.…”

A Qualitative Study Regarding COVID-19 Inpatient Family Caregivers’ Need for Supportive Care

“…Several studies [ 14 , 15 , 29 , 30 ] have shown that the relatives of COVID-19 patients, especially those whose family members died [ 14 , 15 , 30 ], experience severe emotional distress and are among the most vulnerable social groups in the current pandemic. A screening assessment of the level of psychological distress and of risk factors for complicated bereavement of family members could help identify relatives who may be at particular risk for poor bereavement outcomes and mitigate the effects of the possible impending loss on their mental health [ 20 ].…”

(Re)‘Thinking’ family in nursing care in pandemic times

“…The contribution of nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic is extremely relevant in these unprecedented times, which is why it is urgent to guarantee adequate health care in response to the pandemic, namely, the incorporation of families. The dissemination of the coronavirus throughout the world, the large number of people affected and deaths on a large scale represent the most significant clinical challenge in the last decade for the health system and all health professionals, namely, nurses, and has caused great suffering for patients and families (Mohammadi et al, 2021).…”