{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,21]],"date-time":"2026-06-21T18:47:38Z","timestamp":1782067658390,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)","issue":"6","content-domain":{"domain":["www.ahajournals.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Circ: Population Health and Outcomes"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>BACKGROUND:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Sudden cardiac death (SCD) can be caused by heritable cardiac conditions, as such, up to 50% of family members may be at risk. Coroners are responsible for communicating this risk, in addition to investigating the cause of death. The purpose of this study was to explore how family members of SCD victims experience the type, timing, and suitability of communication with coroners about the cause of death and their own risk for SCD.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>METHODS:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We conducted an explanatory sequential mixed methods study. Eligible family members of SCD victims aged 2 to 70 years, who died in 2021 from a potentially heritable cardiac condition and were investigated by the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario (Canada), were invited to complete a web survey and telephone interview. We used descriptive statistics to analyze the survey data and thematic analysis to analyze the interview data. Quantitative and qualitative data integration occurred at multiple levels.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>RESULTS:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>We sent survey invitations to 126 family members of 115 SCD victims; 50 completed the web-based survey between September 2022 and February 2024. We interviewed a subset of 17 participants. Most received initial communication by phone (n=30, 60%) or in-person (n=13, 26%). Although many (n=39; 78%) received a timeline for death investigation results, 16 (32%) did not receive results within the expected timeframe. In interviews, family members described effective communication as clear, with the coroners\u2019 demeanor being important, in particular, perceived as kind, accessible, and approachable. When communication needs went unmet, families relied on external support networks (outside of the coroner system) to fill information gaps. Suggestions for improved communication included repeating information and using multiple communication modes to enhance understanding.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>CONCLUSIONS:<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Findings emphasize the need for coroners to use empathetic approaches and provide timely, clear information. Addressing communication gaps may better meet the needs of grieving SCD families.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1161\/circoutcomes.125.012967","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T09:00:45Z","timestamp":1777539645000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1161\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Family Members\u2019 Experiences Communicating With Coroners in Suspected Hereditary Sudden Cardiac Death Cases: A Mixed Methods Study in Canada"],"prefix":"10.1161","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0511-0765","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Katherine S.","family":"Allan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Cardiology, Unity Health Toronto\u2013St. Michael\u2019s Hospital, Ontario, Canada (K.S.A., P.D. )."},{"name":"Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (K.S.A., K.N.D), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada."},{"name":"Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario, Toronto, Canada (K.S.A., J.A.K., L.S.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9128-9289","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Katherine L.","family":"Mason","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (K.L.M., K.Y., K.B.L.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ariel","family":"Gershon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (A.G.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5893-4194","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"June","family":"Carroll","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Family &amp; Community Medicine, Sinai Health (J.C.), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2906-8813","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Katie N.","family":"Dainty","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (K.S.A., K.N.D), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada."},{"name":"Research and Innovation, North York General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (K.N.D.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-4705-3196","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Joel A.","family":"Kirsh","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario, Toronto, Canada (K.S.A., J.A.K., L.S.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kris","family":"Cunningham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ontario Forensic Pathology Service, Toronto, Canada (K.C.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8244-3520","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Paul","family":"Dorian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Cardiology, Unity Health Toronto\u2013St. Michael\u2019s Hospital, Ontario, Canada (K.S.A., P.D. )."},{"name":"Department of Medicine (P.D., A.A.), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8142-4013","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Arnon","family":"Adler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine (P.D., A.A.), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada."},{"name":"Department of Cardiology, Toronto General Hospital, Ontario, Canada (A.A.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julie","family":"Rutberg","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Children\u2019s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada (J.R.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8644-9719","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Steve","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine (S.L.), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7835-3074","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Sheldon","family":"Cheskes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (S.C.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2500-8343","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jodi","family":"Garner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Family Member, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (J.G.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liz","family":"Siydock","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario, Toronto, Canada (K.S.A., J.A.K., L.S.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karolyn","family":"Yee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (K.L.M., K.Y., K.B.L.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6761-7548","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Krystina B.","family":"Lewis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (K.L.M., K.Y., K.B.L.)."},{"name":"University of Ottawa Heart Institute, Ontario, Canada (K.B.L.)."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"276","reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_3_2_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCRESAHA.116.304521"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_3_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1161\/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.976092"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_4_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00428-017-2221-0"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_5_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1445-5994.2006.01241.x"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_6_2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/heartjnl-2018-313802"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_7_2","volume-title":"Coroners Act","author":"Legislative Assembly of Ontario","year":"1990","unstructured":"Legislative Assembly of Ontario. 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