Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33653707›Full record

ArticleBJGP open2021

Supporting bereavement and complicated grief in primary care: a realist review.

Caroline Pearce, Geoff Wong, Isla Kuhn, Stephen Barclay

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJGP open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed
2.4field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. A primary care approach to bereavement.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Co-production ofEuropean journal of psychotraumatology · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
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  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Bereavement care during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2021
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.

Caroline PearceResearch Associate, Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK cmp89@medschl.cam.ac.uk.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4653-2697
Geoff WongGeneral Practitioner and Associate Professor, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Isla KuhnHead of Medical Library Services, University of Cambridge Medical Library, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Stephen BarclayGP and University Senior Lecturer, Primary Care Unit, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
University of Cambridge · GBUniversity of Oxford · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBereavement can have significant impacts on physical and mental health, and a minority of people experience complicated and prolonged grief responses. Primary care is ideally situated to offer bereavement care, yet UK provision remains variable and practitioners feel uncertain how best to support bereaved patients.

aimTo identify what works, how, and for whom, in the management of complicated grief (CG) in primary care. DESIGN &

settingA review of evidence on the management of CG and bereavement in UK primary care settings.

methodA realist approach was taken that aims to provide causal explanations through the generation and articulation of contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes.

resultsForty-two articles were included. Evidence on the primary care management of complicated or prolonged grief was limited. GPs and nurses view bereavement support as part of their role, yet experience uncertainty over the appropriate extent of their involvement. Patients and clinicians often have differing views on the role of primary care in bereavement. Training in bereavement, local systems for reporting deaths, practitioner time, and resources can assist or hinder bereavement care provision. Practitioners find bereavement care can be emotionally challenging. Understanding patients' needs can encourage a proactive response and help identify appropriate support.

conclusionBereavement care in primary care remains variable and practitioners feel unprepared to provide appropriate bereavement care. Patients at higher risk of complicated or prolonged grief may fail to receive the support they need from primary care. Further research is required to address the potential unmet needs of bereaved patients.

Indexed as

bereavementcommunity nursingcomplicated griefgeneral practicegriefprimary health care

Identifiers

PMID33653707
PMCPMC8278512
OpenAlexW3133607756

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.