Abstract
Bereavement service is one of the significant services in hospice/palliative care units (PCUs). The aim of this national survey of bereavement services in Japanese hospice/PCUs is to comprehend the actual state of the support systems available for the bereaved. We sent a self-administered questionnaire to all 97 government-approved hospice/PCUs in November of 2001. Eighty-seven responses were returned (response rate 89.7%). Results showed that 76 institutions (87%) recognized great or at least some desire of bereaved persons for bereavement services. Seventy-three institutions (84%) assumed that all bereaved families should be recipients of bereaved services, and 60% of them attempted to assist other family members as well as the primary caregiver. In 38 institutions (44%), bereavement services were performed in off-duty hours and with no financial reimbursement. Twenty-six institutions (30%) had provided no training for the support services for the bereaved. Only 1 (1%) institutions undertook risk assessment by written form. Forty-nine institutions (56%) had no integrated support services from mental health practitioners. More than half indicated that "insufficient training", "lack of organizational support", "lack of sufficient staff time", and "lack of personnel" were the most difficult obstacles encountered in the delivery of bereavement services. In conclusion, we clarified multiple problems of support systems for the bereaved in Japanese hospice/PCUs and recognized the need to solutions throughout these institutions.
