RESUMEN
The COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions across the world in only two years. Government health restrictions aimed at preventing transmission have impacted typical mourning practices such as funeral gatherings and in-person grief support services. This research examines the potential impacts that the pandemic may have had on people's ability to grieve. We employed a mixed methods study design to ask those who have lost a loved one during this time to reflect on their mourning practices with an anonymous survey. Our results present themes of complicated grief, the uncertainty of who to blame for frustrations, and common needs requested by the bereaved to help them mourn during these unprecedented times. These findings may help inform grief support and bereavement services during current and future mass death and pandemic health concerns.
RESUMEN
COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on arguably every sector of our criminal justice system. To assess the impact that this global health crisis has had on our medicolegal investigations and administration of justice during the early stages of the pandemic, this research aims to give voice to the lived experiences of medicolegal death investigators (coroners, medical examiners and pathologists). This research involved in-depth interviews and follow-ups with experienced personnel from Canada (3), Italy (1), the United Kingdom (1) and the United States (4). Results suggest that despite facing similar challenges, each individual office has had to develop their own strategies to overcome obstacles during the early stages of the pandemic. These results help identify overlapping areas for constructive policy and procedural changes, including recommendations for workflow adaptations, strategic partnerships and other approaches to best prepare for subsequent health crises.
RESUMEN
Background: Early during COVID-19, British Columbia coordinated collaboration between academic researchers, public healthcare systems, and private sector partners to focus research resources on knowledge gaps in a timely manner, avoid duplication, and identify overlooked aspects. At a collaboration symposium, it became evident that BC's volunteer search & rescue (SAR) cadre was overlooked. Objective: Our exploratory project studied volunteer SAR's operational readiness; use and perceived value of information sources; consistency in infection prevention measures among volunteer stations, and with their professional counterparts for comparable first aid medical interventions throughout the pandemic. Methods: We partnered with the 2 organizations that govern BC's volunteer SAR stations. Local station leaders completed a short confidential survey. Guidance documents issued by associations governing voluntary and professional first responders were compared. Results: Survey responses were received from 33 of 109 local stations, spanning all regions of BC. Most remained operationally ready throughout the entire pandemic (12.1% had to stand down at times). Except for 21% lacking eye protection, all had personal protective equipment commensurate with that of healthcare professionals; however, few used this PPE in a manner consistent with professional counterparts. Usage and perceived usefulness of various information sources differed. There was no communication link between the province's infection control experts and 2 volunteer SAR organizations. Conclusions: Search & rescue capability was maintained despite pandemic impacts. Results reveal strengths and opportunities for improvement in the ways volunteers are informed and protected. Infection control experts providing advice for emergency health services professional responders should remember to include their volunteer counterparts.
RESUMEN
In the past decade, there have been many structural changes implemented to Vancouver's largest bridges as a means of deterring criminogenic and suicidal behaviors. Guided by an environmental criminology theoretical framework, this research examines the patterns and trends of 201 cases of successful suicide jumping in the Metro Vancouver Regional District (MVRD) of British Columbia, Canada from 2006 to 2014. To evaluate these trends and to bolster the existing literature on deterrence measures through environmental design, this research will examine the spatial relationship between preferential bridge jumping locations and the home addresses of the deceased. Network analysis of 145 bridge jumpers suggests that suicidal people are willing to travel greater distances to jump from more iconic bridges than those closest to their home. Beyond mere aesthetic or practical functions, symbolic significance may impact which bridges become suicide hotspots over other convenient locations. Dwelling types, demographic profiles, and regional prevalence in the MVRD have also been aggregated and explored in this study.