Levin, J. (2024). The importance of health promotion work in grief processing - A qualitative study on different actors approaches to support young adults due to parental death. Bachelor thesis in Public Health Science. Department of Social Work, Criminology, and Public Health. University of Gävle, Sweden.

The aim of this study was to investigate how different actors work to support bereavedadults between 18 to 29 years old due to parental death in a major city in Sweden. Method: A qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with four individuals that work for organisations that support the specific age group in bereavement. The data was analysed with thematic analysis and ended up with three main themes: The meeting with young adults in bereavment; Conditions for promoting health; Opportunities for improvement. The results showed that knowledge and methods differed between, public, private, and non-profit actors. Overall, the organisations experienced that they used methods which were successful in promoting well-being in young adults. They experienced capabilities to create and maintain supportive environments. The result alsoshowed that during the meetings with young adults, multiple deficiencies were revealed about other actors that the young adults had contacted for support. The conclusion of this study showed positive effects but also lacking of support in different actors approach with young adults in bereavment. Further research is needed in this field to deepen the knowledge of the effects of the used methods. It should also be studied based on the young adult’s experiences of support. An advantage may be to use practice based research where different actors, affected individuals and researchers together can come up with strategies that prevent poor health, improve supportive environments and increase the well-being of young adults in bereavment. 

Keywords: young adults, bereavement, parental death, support, different actors