Experiences with and needs for aftercare following the death of a loved one in the ICU: a mixed-methods study among bereaved relatives.

"Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participateEthical approval was waived for this study by the Medical Ethics Review Committee of VU University Medical Center because the study is not subject to the Dutch Medical Research Involving Human Subjects Act (registration number 2020.0618). Additionally, institutional review boards at each site approved all procedures (Dijklander Science Centre and Board of Directors Dijklander Ziekenhuis (DOC 020), Board of Directors Ziekenhuis Amstelland (n.s.), Board of Directors Zaans Medisch Centrum (HF21038), Science Office Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep (L021-037)). The relatives were informed orally and in writing about the questionnaire and interview. Before filling in the questionnaire, relatives provided written informed consent. Data were pseudonymized. If relatives wished to participate in an interview they were asked to provide their email address and/or telephone number at the end of the questionnaire. Before the interview, relatives gave oral informed consent. After transcription, the audio recordings were deleted and the transcript were anonymized to protect the privacy of the participants. All methods were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of the Declaration of Helsinki and with the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU). Consent for publicationNot applicable. Competing interestsThe authors declare no competing interests. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests."

"Funding This work was supported by The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) under Grant 844001801. ZonMw had no role in the design of this study, the execution, analysis, interpretation of data or publication of results."