Omega (Westport). 2026 Jul 20:302228261470280. doi: 10.1177/00302228261470280. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Patient death may constitute an emotionally significant but often unrecognized source of occupational grief among healthcare professionals. This study examined disenfranchised grief after patient death and tested whether maladaptive coping strategies mediated its association with psychological well-being. In this cross-sectional pilot survey, 56 healthcare professionals with direct patient contact and professional experience with patient death completed an anonymous online questionnaire assessing disenfranchised grief after patient death, maladaptive coping strategies, and psychological well-being. Disenfranchised grief was negatively associated with psychological well-being and positively associated with maladaptive coping, while maladaptive coping was negatively associated with well-being. Mediation analysis indicated a statistically significant indirect association between disenfranchised grief and well-being through maladaptive coping. These findings suggest that the psychological consequences of patient death may be related not only to exposure to death itself, but also to whether grief is recognized and how professionals cope with it. The results point to the need for organizational support that acknowledges occupational grief and promotes adaptive coping after patient death.
PMID:42475713 | DOI:10.1177/00302228261470280
