Family grief during the COVID-19 pandemic: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a public health crisis, with increases in
the number of deaths. As a result, the number of bereaved people has increased
significantly. In addition, the measures adopted to control the spread of virus
have triggered changes in the subjective and collective bereavement experiences. This systematic literature review aims to summarize and reinterpret
the results of qualitative studies on the experience of losing family members
during the pandemic by a thematic synthesis. The searches were performed in
the Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed/MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and
LILACS databases. Among 602 articles identified, 14 were included. Evidence
was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Two descriptive themes related to the objective were elaborated in addition to one analytical theme, namely: “Pandemic grief: lonely and unresolved”. These themes
proved to be interrelated and indicate that experiences of loss in this context
were negatively impacted by the imperatives of physical distance, restriction
of hospital visits, technology-mediated communication, and prohibition or restriction of funerals. These changes resulted in experiences marked by feelings
of loneliness and helplessness, which should be considered when planning intervention strategies that favor communication between family members with
the afflicted loved one and with the health care team, enabling welcoming and
creating alternatives for farewell rituals. The findings may support further
research to test intervention protocols, especially to guide public policies and
promote psychological support to bereaved family members after their loss.

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