You are at rock bottom: A qualitative systematic review of the needs of bereaved parents as they journey through the death of their child to cancer

Abstract

Problem Identification

This systematic review will examine the social support needs of bereaved parents in the specific context of pediatric cancer by synthesizing the qualitative evidence. Social support encompasses emotional, practical, informational, and meaning-making support needs.

Literature Search

The Joanna Briggs Institute procedures for conducting qualitative systematic reviews guided every stage of this review. Four databases (PsychInfo, CINAHL, Pubmed, and ASSIA) were systematically searched, in addition to the gray literature and scoping review. Through a five-step critical appraisal process 11 out of 668 potential articles were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria.

Data Evaluation/Synthesis

Relevant findings were synthesized with a thematic-synthesis approach. Findings, which follow the journey of bereaved parents integrated under the core-category “Needs.” This encompasses of four higher-level categories:

1. Last days: Parent needs when caring for their dying child

2. Rest in peace: Parent needs during the child’s death

3. Feeling abandoned: Parent needs for contact after the child’s death

4. Searching for Meaning: Parents needs when making sense of loss

Conclusion

Informational support needs is largely unexplored in academic literature. Staff in the treating-hospital are central in offering bereavement-support to parents, who may otherwise feel that they have lost their second home (hospital) and second family (staff).

Keywords:

• emotional support
• meaning making
• parental experience
• parent support
• pediatric cancer
• practical support
• social support

Disclosure statement

On behalf of all the authors, the corresponding author declares that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This systematic review has been financed by the parent-led Katie Nugent Fund, a not-for-profit initiative in aid of the CMRF (Children’s Medical Research Foundation). The Katie Nugent Fund is committed to identify the support needs of parents of children with cancer in Ireland, with a view to enhancing the existing services for parents who journey through childhood cancer.