Bereaved Relatives

Just over half of survey relatives (55%) wanted further information about their family member's research involvement. Some relatives felt that knowing their family member's research participation may have helped others could provide comfort after a death. Most interviewed relatives preferred to be contacted early, generally within 1 to 7 days after death. Most survey relatives (73%) were unaware that their family member had participated in research while in hospital. Social media recruitment for bereaved relative interviews yielded a 54% imposter rate, creating a significant methodological challenge. Bereaved relatives generally preferred written communication over an unexpected telephone call, which they felt could cause emotional shock.