Journal
of Pain & Symptom Management, March 2014, vol./is. 47/3(531-41)
Thomas K,
Hudson P, Trauer T, Remedios C, Clarke D
This study of 301 carers of patients receiving palliative care was
conducted across three palliative care services. The authors found that greater
bereavement dependency, a spousal relationship to the patient, greater impact
of caring on schedule, poor family functioning, and low levels of optimism were risk factors for prolonged grief symptoms.
They conclude that screening family carers on entry
to palliative care seems to be the most effective way of identifying who has a
higher risk of developing PG and recommend screening carers six months after the death of their relative to
identify most carers with PG.
Available
from Elsevier in Journal
of Pain and Symptom Management
Available in print at Arthur Rank House, Brookfields Hospital