Globally, What Affects Primary Caregivers’ Grieving Processes Leading To Subsequent Effective And Ineffective Coping Strategies Following An Infant Mortality.

Abstract

Worldwide in 2013, 4.6 million infant deaths occurred within the first year of life and accounted for 74% of all deaths under the age of 5 years old. As a result of these infant death events, there are varied zcaregiver grief responses and coping strategies. The purpose of this study was to meta-synthesize what factors affect primary caregiver grieving processes and then analyze their effective and ineffective coping strategies. After a rigorous multi-database search, we accessed 9 articles worldwide from years 1995-2013 for inclusion. These 9 papers were assessed for credibility by a primary and secondary reviewer via standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data extraction and metaaggregation of the findings was carried out to determine intergenerational coping strategies and grieving process after an infant death. Eight peer reviewed articles were included in the aggregation. The data extracted included specific details about intergenerational support, interrelationship support, and lasting emotional impressions following an infant death. We identified that the influence of living children and parents of the primary caregivers are significant sources of intergenerational support. Conversely there is a lack of support between primary caregivers leading to incomplete coping and grieving processes within the relationship. Furthermore, lasting emotional impressions were acknowledged as a recurrent theme among individuals affected by the loss of an infant. Nursing interventions and education should be identified that address caregiver and family member grieving processes and coping strategies such as follow up emotional coping assessments at regular intervals for those at risk for poor coping. Nurses have the ability to play a vital role in improving the family and caregiver outcomes including positive coping strategies and healthy grieving processes following infant mortality.