"Once you open that door, it's a floodgate": Exploring work-related grief among community service workers providing care for structurally vulnerable populations at the end of life through participatory action research.
Palliat Med
; 37(4): 558-566, 2023 04.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36461158
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
At the end of life, people experiencing structural vulnerability (e.g. homelessness, poverty, stigmatization) rely on community service workers to fill gaps in access to traditional palliative services. Although high levels of burnout are reported, little is known about these workers' experiences of grief.AIM:
To explore community service workers' experiences of grief to identify ways of providing more tailored, meaningful, and equitable supports.DESIGN:
A community-based participatory action research methodology, informed by equity perspectives, was employed. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS:
In an urban center in western Canada, community service worker (primary) participants (n = 18) were engaged as members of an action team. A series of 18 action cycles took place, with secondary participants (n = 48) (e.g. palliative, social care, housing support, etc.) being recruited throughout the research process. Focus groups (n = 5) and evaluative interviews (n = 13) with participants were conducted. Structured observational field notes (n = 34) were collected during all team meetings and community interventions. Interpretive thematic analysis ensued through a collaborative and iterative process.RESULTS:
During initial meetings, action team participants described experiences of compounding distress, grief, and multiple loss. Analysis showed workers are (1) grieving as family, not just providers; (2) experiencing complex layers of compounded grief; and (3) are fearful to open the "floodgates" to grief.CONCLUSIONS:
Findings contribute to our understanding on the inequitable distribution of grief across society. A collective and material response is needed, including witnessing, acknowledging and valuing the grief process; facilitating community wellness, collective grieving, and advocacy; and providing training and tools in a palliative approach to care.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Temas:
ECOS
/
Equidade_desigualdade
/
Estado_mercado_regulacao
Bases de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Pesar
/
Populações Vulneráveis
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
/
Qualitative_research
Aspecto:
Equity_inequality
Limite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Palliat Med
Assunto da revista:
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Canadá