Family bereavement experiences after sudden cardiac death

Abstract

TITLE: Family Bereavement Experiences after Sudden Cardiac Death AUTHOR: Dorothy “Dale” M. Mayer APPROVED: ______________________________ Anne Rosenfeld, Ph.D., R.N., F.A.H.A., C.N.S. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand family bereavement experiences after the sudden cardiac death (SCD) of a family member. Aims included description of bereavement experiences and identification of meanings of loss across families. Background: Cardiac disease is the leading cause of death and SCD is on the rise, especially in younger adults. The SCD of middle aged adults, who are often in the prime of their lives, is devastating for surviving family members and greatly disrupts their sense of self and shatters their feelings of security. Bereavement research has focused on the response of individuals to grief and loss and little is known about the impact of SCD on multiple surviving family members. Family roles and tasks are radically changed after death of a family member and when the death is unexpected surviving family members are challenged to make sense of their loss. Methods: A qualitative approach, narrative analysis, was used to analyze family and individual stories of bereavement. Seven families who experienced the SCD of a family member within the last 5 years participated. Eligibility criteria limited the decedent’s age to 20 and 55 years old at the time of death. Family interviews, which averaged 96 minutes, were conducted with a minimum of two family members, followed by individual interviews with 17 family members. Open ended