Death studies
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Comparative Study
Post-mortem organ donation and grief: a study of consent, refusal and well-being in bereavement.
Concern about the grief processes of organ donors' families are reported by medical staff as a reason not to ask for organ donation. Objectives of the current study were to examine the relation between consenting to a post-mortem organ donation procedure and subsequent process of grief in the bereaved. A cross-section survey was conducted in a representative time-sample of 95 bereaved who lost a first-degree family member on intensive care wards in 27 Dutch hospitals. ⋯ No differences were found in levels of main outcome measures between three donation conditions. However, dissatisfaction with hospital care was associated with depressive and grief symptoms. The results indicate that consenting to organ donation in itself neither hinders nor furthers the grief process.