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Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
CITATION
Landa-Ramírez, E., Domínguez-Vieyra, N. A., Hernández-Nuñez, M. E., Díaz-Vásquez, L. P., &
Santana-García, I. A. (2020, June 18). Psychological Support During COVID-19 Death Notifications:
Clinical Experiences From a Hospital in Mexico. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research,
Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000679
Psychological Trauma:
Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
© 2020 American Psychological Association 2020, Vol. 2, No. 999, 000
ISSN: 1942-9681 http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000679
National University of San Marcos and Hospital General Dr. National Autonomous University of Mexico and Hospital
Manuel Gea González , Mexico City, Mexico General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Mexico City, Mexico
It is estimated that more than 300,000 people have died because of COVID-19 globally. The vast
majority of documented deaths have occurred within hospitals, leading to psychological impacts on both
family members and health care workers. This paper describes the actions (online death notification
education, remote crisis intervention, and support for health care professionals) taken at a hospital in
Mexico to address the psychological impacts of the notification of a COVID-19 –related death on both
the deceased’s relatives and the health care personnel involved.
At the time of writing, May 20, 2020, it is estimated that How Is the Pandemic Affecting the Mexican
globally there have been more than 4 million cases of coronavirus Population From a Mental Health Perspective?
2019 (COVID-19) and 300,000 deaths caused by COVID-19 –
related complications (World Health Organization, 2020). In Mex- News of a loved one’s death can, by itself, cause great emotional
ico, there have been more than 50,000 cases of COVID-19 and distress for the family member receiving the news (Fallowfield &
6,000 deaths so far, and it is expected that both numbers will rise Jenkins, 2004). In the COVID-19 context, however, death notifi-
sharply in the coming weeks because the country is currently in the cations can be even more challenging given that, because of the
most acute phase of the pandemic (Secretaría de Salud [Ministry of measures taken by several governments to avoid more infections,
Health], 2020a). family members do not receive this news face to face; they cannot
say good-bye to their loved one; and, furthermore, they cannot
carry out the funerary rituals specific to their cultural beliefs
(Ingravallo, 2020).
Editor’s Note. This commentary received rapid review due to the time-
These conditions mean that, when hearing about the death of
sensitive nature of the content. It was reviewed by the special section guest
editors and the journal Editor.—KKT their relatives, family members experience great emotional distress
and often become worried about the possibility of being infected
with COVID-19 (Wakam, Montgomery, Biesterveld, & Brown,
2020). Similarly, it has been reported that health care professionals
X Edgar Landa-Ramírez, Department of Emergency Psychology, Hos- experience difficulty communicating a death notification, namely
pital General Dr. Manuel Gea González, Mexico City, Mexico, and School because of the little formal training they have had to do so properly
of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico; X Nadia A.
(Shoenberger, Yeghiazarian, Rios, & Henderson, 2013); because
Domínguez-Vieyra and X Myriam E. Hernández-Nuñez, School of Psy-
of the work overload when dealing with patients’ needs; and,
chology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, and Department of
Emergency Psychology, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González; additionally, the limited guidance they have to address family
X Lesly P. Díaz-Vásquez, School of Psychology, National University of members’—and their own— emotional response, which can also
San Marcos, and Department of Emergency Psychology, Hospital General become a strenuous emotional burden (Ingravallo, 2020; Shoen-
Dr. Manuel Gea González; X Iveth A. Santana-García, School of Psy- berger et al., 2013; Wakam et al., 2020).
chology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, and Department of
Emergency Psychology, Hospital General Dr. Manuel Gea González. How Do People Respond to the Situation in Mexico?
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Edgar
Landa-Ramírez, Department of Emergency Psychology, Hospital General In Mexico there are deep-rooted beliefs around burial and rites
Dr. Manuel Gea González, Calz. de Tlalpan 4800, Belisario Domínguez that must be carried out when a loved one dies. For instance, it is
Secc 16, Tlalpan, 14080 Ciudad de México, CDMX. E-mail: edgar_ customary for loved ones to perform a 9-day praying cycle after
[email protected] the burial. These beliefs come from a cultural syncretism between
1
2 LANDA-RAMÍREZ ET AL.
pre-Hispanic indigenous customs and Catholic beliefs (Sulkes & the following stages and skills by telephone: (a) connect with the
Wein, 2012). Given the current situation in the country, relatives person; (b) focus the call; (c) relieve any emotional stress; (d)
cannot access the hospital to say good-bye to their loved ones. The promote coping strategies; and (e) decide on the next steps (Kitch-
Mexican government has encouraged people to cremate rather than ingman, Wilson, Caputi, Woodward, & Hunt, 2015). Similarly, the
bury deceased COVID-19 patients, and attendances to funerary principles of knowledge, competence, ethical standards, profes-
rituals are restricted (Secretaría de Salud [Ministry of Health], sional standards, security, confidentiality, and local legal regula-
2020b). This context has generated great emotional distress among tions recommended for telepsychology practice were followed
the relatives of deceased patients. (Joint Task Force for the Development of Telepsychology Guide-
lines for Psychologists, 2013). Currently these psychologists are
How Is Health Care Currently Organized? providing both face-to-face and remote psychological support—
including crisis interventions because of death notification—to
In Mexico, various efforts have been made to help preserve the relatives of hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
mental health of the general population as well as health care
This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.
Secretaría de Protección Civil. (2020). Comunicación empática de malas Sulkes, A., & Wein, S. (2012). Mexico: The lively colors of death.
noticias en el contexto de COVID-19 [Empathetic bad communication Palliative & Supportive Care, 10, 65– 66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/
news in the context of COVID-19]. Retrieved from https://educacion S1478951511000617
.proteccioncivil.cdmx.gob.mx Wakam, G. K., Montgomery, J. R., Biesterveld, B. E., & Brown, C. S.
Secretaría de Salud. (2020a). Comunicado técnico diario nuevo coronavi- (2020). Not Dying Alone—Modern Compassionate Care in the
rus en el mundo (COVID-19) [New coronavirus daily technical state- Covid-19 Pandemic. The New England Journal of Medicine. Advance
ment in the world (COVID-19)]. Retrieved from https://www.gob.mx/ online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2007781
salud/documentos/coronavirus-covid-19-comunicado-tecnico-diario- World Health Organization. (2011). Psychological first aid: Guide for field
238449 workers. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mental_health/publications/
Secretaría de Salud. (2020b). Lineamientos de manejo general y masivo de guide_field_workers/en/
cadáveres por COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 en México [General and massive World Health Organization. (2020). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-
management guidelines for corpses by COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 in 19) situation report—121. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/docs/
Mexico]. Retrieved from https://coronavirus.gob.mx/wp-content/ default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200520-covid-19-
uploads/2020/04/Guia_Manejo_Cadaveres_COVID-19_21042020.pdf sitrep-121.pdf?sfvrsn⫽c4be2ec6_2
This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly.
Death notification in the emergency department: Survivors and physi- Received April 22, 2020
cians. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 14, 181–185. http://dx Revision received May 20, 2020
.doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2012.10.14193 Accepted May 22, 2020 䡲