Evaluating a bereavement support group

ABSTRACTObjective:To assess the feasibility of an 8-week bereavement support group in a general hospital setting.Methods:We assessed grief and mood before and after an 8-week bereavement support group and compared dropouts to completers. Forty-seven participants filled out mood and grief questionnaires. Scores were compared with norms, then baseline and follow-up scores were analyzed by paired t tests. Fifteen dropouts' scores were compared with completers' baseline scores.Results:Participants' grief improved, as did depression in women but not men. Women dropouts scored significantly higher on Anger, Tension/Anxiety.Significance of results:Findings suggest men and women respond differently to bereavement groups. Bereaved individuals with high anger and tension may require interventions addressing their particular needs, with a focus on acceptance of negative emotions.

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Evaluation of moving an acute psychiatric ward from a psychiatric hospital to a general hospital setting

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.21.10.636 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 21 (10) ◽

pp. 636-639 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Neil Rothwell ◽

Pauline McManus ◽

John Higgon

Keyword(s):

General Hospital ◽

Psychiatric Hospital ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Hospital Setting ◽

District General Hospital ◽

Psychiatric Ward ◽

Repeated Measures Design ◽

Before And After ◽

Acute Psychiatric Ward

This study evaluates the effects of moving an acute psychiatric ward from a psychiatric hospital to a district general hospital. A repeated measures design is used covering the three phases of shortly before and after the move and a follow-up 10 months after the move. Eleven measures were used including daily measures of patient disturbance and staff stress, length of stay, diagnosis and a consumer survey. Overall there was little change from before the move to follow-up. Two second-order variables relating to staff stress did, however, show a clear reduction.

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A Bereavement Support Group Intervention Is Longitudinally Associated with Salutary Effects on the CD4 Cell Count and Number of Physician Visits

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology ◽

10.1128/cdli.5.3.382-391.1998 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 382-391 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Karl Goodkin ◽

Daniel J. Feaster ◽

Deshratn Asthana ◽

Nancy T. Blaney ◽

Mahendra Kumar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Count ◽

Support Group ◽

Group Intervention ◽

Plasma Cortisol ◽

Bereavement Support ◽

Cd4 Cell Count ◽

Bereavement Support Group ◽

Cd4 Cell ◽

Hiv 1

ABSTRACT A randomized, controlled, clinical trial was conducted to examine the impact of a semistructured, 10-week, once weekly, 90-min/session bereavement support group intervention on immunological, neuroendocrine, and clinical health status in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-seropositive (HIV-1+) and HIV-1-seronegative (HIV-1−) homosexual men, compared to a standard of care control condition. A total of 119 homosexual men (74 HIV-1+and 45 HIV-1−) were assessed at baseline, 10 weeks, and 6 months follow-up. At the 6-month follow-up assessment, the intervention groups exhibited significant beneficial effects compared to controls on changes in CD4 cell, total T-lymphocyte, and total lymphocyte counts, when baseline levels, antiretroviral medication use, CDC stage of disease, and other potentially confounding factors were accounted for. There was no statistically significant effect on the CD4/CD8 ratio or on the CD8 cell count. The effect on CD4 cell count was associated with group attendance and with changes in plasma cortisol level. Plasma cortisol levels decreased significantly among intervention subjects, compared to controls. A significantly reduced number of health care visits over the 6-month follow-up period among the intervention subjects supported the clinical relevance of the immunological changes observed for both HIV-1+ and HIV-1−individuals. These results indicate that behavioral interventions may have salutary immunological and clinical health effects following bereavement among HIV-1-infected individuals. The effect in HIV-1− individuals suggests that this bereavement support group intervention might have similar salutary effects in the general population. Potential effects of such interventions on clinical HIV disease progression are of interest and should be studied.

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Experience of ‘overcoming the pain of family loss of suicide’ through suicide bereavement support group: SPACE experiential model of family survivors

Journal of Family Relations ◽

10.21321/jfr.22.3.73 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 73-101

Author(s):

Chonghee Seo ◽

Jiyoung Park ◽

Minjeong Baek

Keyword(s):

Support Group ◽

Bereavement Support ◽

Suicide Bereavement ◽

Bereavement Support Group ◽

Family Loss

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Introduction of Hip Ultrasonography to the Neonatal Services of a Fife District General Hospital

Health Services Management Research ◽

10.1177/095148489300600201 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 74-77

Author(s):

B. Dean ◽

Donald R. Coid

Keyword(s):

General Hospital ◽

Confidence Intervals ◽

New Technology ◽

District General Hospital ◽

X Rays ◽

Before And After ◽

Neonatal Hip ◽

A New Technique ◽

Hip Ultrasonography

Ultrasonography of the hip is a new technique which is said to assist in the diagnosis of neonatal hip disorders. The authors were unaware of any reports of formal evaluation of the introduction of this new technology into a District General Hospital. This study outlines several aspects of patient care before and after the introduction of neonatal hip ultrasonography to a Fife hospital as an adjunct to a neonatal orthopaedic clinic. After introduction of ultrasound the proportion of patients where the consultant was ‘very confident’ in the diagnosis increased by 29% (95% confidence intervals 9% to 49%); the proportion of children requiring three or more x-rays in the year following referral fell by 46% (95% confidence intervals 27% to 65%) and the proportion of children requiring five or more follow up attendances in the year following referral fell by 56% (95% confidence intervals 38% to 74%). Introduction of this technology has benefited patients by reducing their need to attend clinics and reducing their overall exposure to ionising radiation. There is a continuing need for ultrasonography to be provided in Fife neonatal orthopaedic outpatient clinics.

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Coping with the Ultimate Deprivation: Narrative Themes in a Parental Bereavement Support Group

OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying ◽

10.2190/om.63.2.c ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 63 (2) ◽

pp. 141-160 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Laura R. Umphrey ◽

Joanne Cacciatore

Keyword(s):

Support Groups ◽

Support Group ◽

Parental Bereavement ◽

Group Setting ◽

Bereavement Support ◽

Bereaved Parents ◽

Bereavement Support Group ◽

Life Circumstances ◽

Group Meetings

Support groups are often used to help individuals cope with challenging and unusual life circumstances through narration. Yet, little is known about specific meta-communication within a support group setting and in what ways these interactions may benefit participants. This study uncovers narrative themes that were expressed during a series of support group meetings specific to bereaved parents. Three central narratives were revealed in the analysis including the death story narrative, coping/negotiating narrative, and connecting through communication with others narrative. This research underscores the vital outlet that the support group serves for participants and the communicative means by which subjective healing can occur.

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