CONNECT study 4

10-2024 to 09-2028

Background: The nature of social connection is complex and requires a social ecological approach. In addition to the family, the broader network and the community, society as a whole plays an important role. Next to factors such as social and cultural norms, health and social policies are essential in social connection as they create the environment that determines the opportunities for positive interactions, enables social connections, and promotes a sense of belonging. These policies can enhance the overall well-being of individuals and communities and contribute to a more cohesive and interconnected society. To be proportionally universal, policies also consider equity and efforts to minimize inequity and discrimination

Current research gaps: The importance of social connection is often underrecognized in regional, national and international policies. There is also a strong need for recommendations on how macro-level policy can promote equity and strengthen social connections between people with serious illness, their family, the community and society at large. Current studies on the societal level focus on advance care planning, care processes, symptoms, or resource use, but a thorough analyses of how policies on the societal level can influence social connection in the context of serious illness, dying and bereavement is currently missing. 

Scientific objectives are to: 
1. describe how existing regional, national and international policies include social connection as a focus for people with serious illness, their family carers, the institutions in which they are cared for, communi\es and society at large, 
2. analyze how existing policies facilitate or hinder these social connections, 
3. develop policy recommendations to strengthen social connection between people with serious illness, their family carers, the institutions where these people live or receive care, communi\es, and society at large.

Methods: Study design: To meet the research aims of WP4 and the policy objective of WP5 (equity), we will use mixed methods. We will conduct a qualitative review of health/social policy documents based on the principles of Bardach’s eightfold policy analysis framework and the READ approach, a systematic method for interrogating documents and extracting study-relevant data.

Research Foundation Flanders number: 001525N – 56955