ArticleBMC palliative care2024
"I have never felt so alone and vulnerable" - A qualitative study of bereaved people's experiences of end-of-life cancer care during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Article in BMC palliative care, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Provision of palliative and end-of-life care by community health nurses: A scoping review on the challenges and potential solutions.International journal of nursing studies advances · 2026Review
- Psychosocial experiences of cancer patients across the COVID-19 era: Lasting implications for oncology.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2025Article
- Participants' Perceptions of Advantages and Drawbacks of "Drop-In" Versus "Closed-Group" Formats Related to Cancer Bereavement Program Delivery.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundCOVID-19 drastically affected healthcare services world-wide. In the UK, many cancer services were overwhelmed as oncology staff were reassigned, and cancer diagnoses and treatments were delayed. The impact of these pressures on end-of-life care for patients with advanced cancer and their relatives is not well understood.
methodsSecondary thematic analysis of qualitative survey and interview data, collected from family members and close friends bereaved by cancer, as part of a national COVID-19 bereavement study (Survey N = 156; Interview N = 10).
resultsFour key themes were identified: The impact of COVID-19 on contact with patients towards the end of life; Mixed experiences of support for family members; Variable communication quality from health and social care professionals; Prioritisation of COVID-19 and its impact on patient care. Hospital care was perceived more negatively than community care in almost all areas, while support from cancer charities and district nurses was appreciated the most. Almost all participants felt that COVID-19 was detrimentally prioritised over care for their relative/friend.
conclusionsPeople bereaved by cancer were uniquely affected by pandemic-restrictions and disruptions to services. As services re-build post-pandemic, improvements in palliative care in hospitals, investment into community care, and ensuring compassionate communication with patients and families must be prioritised, alongside preparedness for future pandemics or similar events.
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