O luto em tempos de covid-19

: os desafios dos familiares enlutados

Abstract

The context of the pandemic brought new challenges to families who lost their loved ones due to the lack of knowledge about the disease that they are facing, implying limitations in the monitoring and dismissal of patients infected with COVID-19, factors which potentially associated with a process of complex grief. The aim of this study was to investigate how mourners, grieving from deaths related to COVID-19, experience and deal with the grieving process. This study followed a qualitative methodology through semi-structured interviews of five family members who lost their loved ones during the pandemic. The data processing followed the principles of Grounded Theory. The participants reported feelings of surprise, longing, sadness and fear of being or becoming infected. The facilitating factors were the access to information on the hospitalized family member's clinical condition, support from family and friends, and specialized support (medication). The stressing factors included interruption in communication with the loved one and absence of farewell rituals. The main coping strategies mentioned were oriented to action, bond maintenance, spirituality and emotional expression. The meanings attributed to loss were the ability to accept reality, keep hope for the future and live in the present.

Date of Award	15 Jul 2021
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Elisa Veiga (Supervisor)