Parents Reflecting On Hope During Hospice Through Photovoice

Using a prospective qualitative design, we will enroll parents of children who died on hospice 6-24 months prior. Parents who opt to participate in the study will be asked to review photographs they have from when their child was on hospice and to select 1-5 photographs that communicate what hope meant to them at that time. Their photograph selection will be guided by a brief conversation with the researcher and a written guide that encourages the participant to think about hope broadly and invites an open interpretation of what it means for a photograph to represent hope.

Parents will bring their selected photograph(s) to a one-on-one semi-structured interview. The interview will take place either in person or over a virtual meeting platform. During the interview, the participant will share the photographs with the researcher, discuss why they were chosen, and share any other reflections they have about their experience. It is anticipated that the interview will last about 60 minutes. The audio for the meeting will be recorded. Video will not be recorded.

Inclusion criteria

• Participants must be the parent of a child who:

• Received any form of care from a clinician at St. Jude, as documented in the electronic medical record, AND
• Was enrolled on hospice at the time of death, AND
• Died at least 6 months prior to enrollment, but no more than 24 months prior to enrollment.
• Participants must also:

• Be ≥ 18 years of age or legally emancipated, AND
• Be English-speaking or Spanish-speaking.

Exclusion criteria

• Insufficient comfort or fluency with either English or Spanish language.