Reliving trauma near death: A systematic review

Dying is a complex physical and psychological experience often associated with suffering and distress. At best, symptoms are identified and managed through partnerships between health professionals, the dying person and their loved ones. At worst, they are unrecognised, and people die badly. Little is known as to why some people behave or respond differently at the end of life, withdrawing from care, rhythmically calling out or becoming aggressive. One hypothesis is that these symptoms are reliving trauma, and little is known about its impact on the experience of dying. This integrative review addresses the following questions: 1) how is previous trauma associated with the experience of death/dying in people with or without cognitive impairment? 2) how is previous trauma identified in people who are dying? and 3) what palliative care interventions are available to people with previous trauma at end of life?