Wednesday 5 October 2016

The bereavement experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans* people who have lost a partner: A systematic review, thematic synthesis and modelling of the literature

Palliative Medicine; Sep 2016; vol. 30(8) 730-744
Bristowe, Katherine; Marshall, Steve; Harding, Richard

The studies identified in this review described universal experiences of the pain of losing a partner; however, additional barriers and stressors were reported for lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans* people, including homophobia, failure to acknowledge the relationship, additional legal and financial issues and the 'shadow' of HIV or AIDS. A novel model was developed to explain how the experience for lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or trans* people is shaped by whether the relationship was disclosed and acknowledged in life and into bereavement and how this impacts upon needs and access to care. 

Full text available in  Palliative Medicine
Available in print in Arthur Rank Hospice Library. Cambridge