About this Research Topic

Background

The individual and social impact of coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is due to the sudden increase of people being infected worldwide - already over 3.5 million people are infected worldwide – and that it can develop into a serious infectious disease that puts their lives at risk. In such an unprecedented and devastating scenario, with total fatalities surpassing 250,000 globally since 31 December 2019, the mourning process affects the people at the micro and macro system levels. As individuals and families, but also as citizens in a society confronting the different stages of the mourning process a step behind the individuals, probably due to its intrinsic complexity and limitations.

The world is in grief, simultaneously; confronting the proximity to death or the grief for relatives and friends, while severe socio-economical losses at are also foreseen. In the current society, where death is a taboo, the unexpected grief process in such a severe situation of lockdown, confinement, lack of possibilities to stand by those who are dying in the hospitals or in the nursery homes, or to perform funeral rituals according to our faith, believes and traditions, makes the process more difficult to handle. The majority of information available is focused in the virus, while concerns about increased risk of death for vulnerable groups of people (men, elderly, poverty-stricken, palliative care, diabetes mellitus and hypertension comorbidities, ethnic, refugees, prison regime, etc) or countries can hardly be heard. Also, fear and increased risk of death by other causes triggered by COVID19 such as hunger, interpartner violence, other types of violence or criminality. In addition to this, palliative care in this different setting is not only struggling due to the severe restrictions and technical scarcity of this public health emergency, but also worsened by an imbalance between the spiritual efforts that are needed and those provided to support those who are dying and their families.

The goal of this Research Topic is to face this taboo and to address these problems from different multidisciplinary perspectives and cultures. The aim is to encourage open discussion about current challenges and to provide not only technical but also educational and spiritual tools to mitigate the present and future impact of COVID19 in our multiple mourning process as individuals and/or as a society.

Original Research, Data Reports, Study Protocols, Community Case Studies, Case Reports, Theoretical perspectives and Opinions are welcome. The specific themes related to death-mourning process in times of COVID-19, at micro and macrosystem levels and from different multidisciplinary perspectives and cultures, are those indicated here, but not restricted to:
• Cross-cultural bio-psycho-social perspectives confronting death and the multiple mourning process in times of COVID-19
• Risk groups (age, gender, poverty, ethnic, refugees, morbidity, palliative care, mental health, prison regime, etc) and how they are confronting death and mourning in times of COVID-19
• Fear and increased risk of death by other causes triggered by COVID19 such as hunger, suicide, interpartner violence, other types of violence or criminality.
• Educational needs on death and mourning process for professionals and general population
• Impact of death from COVID 19 and mourning process in front-line professionals and their families
• Management of fatigue by compassion in times of COVID-19
• Challenges and management in Palliative care in times of COVID-19: Loneliness, dying alone and nursing homes
• Challenges and controversies in regulations and priorities implemented by governments and policymakers in COVID-19: Models, Ageism, Social Darwinism
• Special considerations and solutions with children and adolescents who are going through a duel during confinement or confront a multiple mourning
• The role of spirituality, faith and meaning of life in the mourning process in times of coronavirus
• Individual, familial, generational, social and global resilience in times of coronavirus
• Yoga, mindfulness and other psychotherapy forms for death and mourning management in COVID19 crisis
• Redesign of rituals, ceremonies and tributes in times of social isolation and infectious diseases

 ***Due to the exceptional nature of the COVID-19 situation, Frontiers is waiving all article publishing charges for COVID-19 related research until December 31st, 2020.*** 

This Topic has been realized in collaboration with Dr Alfredo Zamora Mur, Dr Aldana Di Costanzo, Dr Samhita Bhushan, Dr Enayat Shahidi and Dr Ismaeel Yunusa.

Keywords: COVID, coronavirus, grief, mourning, death

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a Research Topic?

  Frontiers' Research Topics are collaborative hubs built around an emerging theme.Defined, managed, and led by renowned researchers, they bring communities together around a shared area of interest to stimulate collaboration and innovation.

  Unlike section journals, which serve established specialty communities, Research Topics are pioneer hubs, responding to the evolving scientific landscape and catering to new communities.

• Why does Frontiers publish Research Topics? 

  The goal of Frontiers' publishing program is to empower research communities to actively steer the course of scientific publishing. Our program was implemented as a three-part unit with fixed field journals, flexible specialty sections, and dynamically emerging Research Topics, connecting communities of different sizes and maturity.

  Research Topics originate from the scientific community. Many of our Research Topics are suggested by existing editorial board members who have identified critical challenges or areas of interest in their field.

• Why are Research Topics important for journals?

  As an editor, Research Topics will help you build your journal, as well as your community, around emerging, cutting-edge research. As research trailblazers, Research Topics attract high-quality submissions from leading experts all over the world.

  A thriving Research Topic can potentially evolve into a new specialty section if there is sustained interest and a growing community around it.

• How do we ensure the quality of articles within Research Topics?

  Each Research Topic must be approved by the specialty chief editor, and it falls under the editorial oversight of our editorial boards, supported by our in-house research integrity team. The same standards and rigorous peer review processes apply to articles published as part of a Research Topic as for any other article we publish.

  In 2023, 80% of the Research Topics we published were edited or co-edited by our editorial board members, who are already familiar with their journal's scope, ethos, and publishing model. All other topics are guest edited by leaders in their field, each vetted and formally approved by the specialty chief editor.

• What are the benefits of publishing my article in a Research Topic?

  Publishing your article within a Research Topic with other related articles increases its discoverability and visibility, which can lead to more views, downloads, and citations. Research Topics grow dynamically as more published articles are added, causing frequent revisiting, and further visibility.

  As Research Topics are multidisciplinary, they are cross-listed in several fields and section journals – increasing your reach even more and giving you the chance to expand your network and collaborate with researchers in different fields, all focusing on expanding knowledge around the same important topic.

  Our larger Research Topics are also converted into ebooks and receive social media promotion from our digital marketing team.

   
• What types of articles can be published in a Research Topic?

  Frontiers offers multiple article types, but it will depend on the field and section journals in which the Research Topic will be featured. The available article types for a Research Topic will appear in the drop-down menu during the submission process.

  Check available article types here 

• Can I suggest a new Research Topic? 

  Yes, we would love to hear your ideas for a topic. Most of our Research Topics are community-led and suggested by researchers in the field. Our in-house editorial team will contact you to talk about your idea and whether you’d like to edit the topic. If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. 

  Suggest your topic here 

• Who leads a Research Topic? 

  A team of guest editors (called topic editors) lead their Research Topic. This editorial team oversees the entire process, from the initial topic proposal to calls for participation, the peer review, and final publications.

  The team may also include topic coordinators, who help the topic editors send calls for participation, liaise with topic editors on abstracts, and support contributing authors. In some cases, they can also be assigned as reviewers.

• What is the role of a topic editor?

  As a topic editor (TE), you will take the lead on all editorial decisions for the Research Topic, starting with defining its scope. This allows you to curate research around a topic that interests you, bring together different perspectives from leading researchers across different fields and shape the future of your field. 

   

  You will choose your team of co-editors, curate a list of potential authors, send calls for participation and oversee the peer review process, accepting or recommending rejection for each manuscript submitted.

• What support will I receive when editing a new Research Topic? 

  As a topic editor, you're supported at every stage by our in-house team. You will be assigned a single point of contact to help you on both editorial and technical matters. Your topic is managed through our user-friendly online platform, and the peer review process is supported by our industry-first AI review assistant (AIRA).

• As a junior researcher, can I be involved in editing a Research Topic? 

  If you’re an early-stage researcher, we will offer you the opportunity to coordinate your topic, with the support of a senior researcher as the topic editor. This provides you with valuable editorial experience, improving your ability to critically evaluate research articles and enhancing your understanding of the quality standards and requirements for scientific publishing, as well as the opportunity to discover new research in your field, and expand your professional network.

• Can I get a certificate for editing a Research Topic?

  Yes, certificates can be issued on request. We are happy to provide a certificate for your contribution to editing a successful Research Topic.

• Who will I collaborate with?

  Research Topics thrive on collaboration and their multi-disciplinary approach around emerging, cutting-edge themes, attract leading researchers from all over the world.

• How long does it take to publish a Research Topic?

  As a topic editor, you can set the timeline for your Research Topic, and we will work with you at your pace. Typically, Research Topics are online and open for submissions within a few weeks and remain open for participation for 6 – 12 months. Individual articles within a Research Topic are published as soon as they are ready.

  Find out more about our Research Topics

• What fee support is available to authors publishing in a Research Topic?

  Our fee support program ensures that all articles that pass peer review, including those published in Research Topics, can benefit from open access – regardless of the author's field or funding situation.

  Authors and institutions with insufficient funding can apply for a discount on their publishing fees. A fee support application form is available on our website.

• Will there be a printed version of my Research Topic?

  In line with our mission to promote healthy lives on a healthy planet, we do not provide printed materials. All our articles and ebooks are available under a CC-BY license, so you can share and print copies.