Cross-Cultural Issues

2014 ◽  
pp. 127-142
Author(s):  
William S. Breitbart
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Culturally Sensitive ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Culturally Specific ◽  
Methods Of Evaluation ◽  
Terminal Illnesses ◽  
Fear Of Cancer

Across cultures, the universal fear of cancer and other terminal illnesses are caused by the fear of death as well as images associated with debility and pain. Yet individual societies place different emphases on issues surrounding death and dying. This chapter provides an overview of the culturally specific issues surrounding death and dying, methods of evaluation of cultural issues, and guidance on delivering culturally sensitive palliative care around the globe.

scholarly journals Introducing cross-cultural education in palliative care: focus groups with experts on practical strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Imane Semlali ◽  
Emmanuel Tamches ◽  
Pascal Singy ◽  
Orest Weber
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Cultural Teaching

Abstract Background The linguistic and cultural diversity found in European societies creates specific challenges to palliative care clinicians. Patients’ heterogeneous habits, beliefs and social situations, and in many cases language barriers, add complexity to clinicians’ work. Cross-cultural teaching helps palliative care specialists deal with issues that arise from such diversity. This study aimed to provide interested educators and decision makers with ideas for how to implement cross-cultural training in palliative care. Methods We conducted four focus groups in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland. All groups consisted of a mix of experts in palliative care and/or cross-cultural teaching. The interdisciplinary research team submitted the data for thematic content analysis. Results Focus-group participants saw a clear need for courses addressing cross-cultural issues in end-of-life care, including in medical disciplines outside of palliative care (e.g. geriatrics, oncology, intensive care). We found that these courses should be embedded in existing training offerings and should appear at all stages of curricula for end-of-life specialists. Two trends emerged related to course content. One focuses on clinicians’ acquisition of cultural expertise and tools allowing them to deal with complex situations on their own; the other stresses the importance of clinicians’ reflections and learning to collaborate with other professionals in complex situations. These trends evoke recent debates in the literature: the quest for expertise and tools is related to traditional twentieth century work on cross-cultural competence, whereas reflection and collaboration are central to more recent research that promotes cultural sensitivity and humility in clinicians. Conclusion This study offers new insights into cross-cultural courses in palliative and end-of-life care. Basic knowledge on culture in medicine, variable practices related to death and dying, communication techniques, self-reflection on cultural references and aptitude for interprofessional collaboration are central to preparing clinicians in end-of-life settings to work with linguistically and culturally diverse patients.

scholarly journals Introducing Cross-Cultural Education in Palliative Care: Focus Groups With Experts on Practical Strategies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imane Semlali ◽  
Emmanuel Tamches ◽  
Pascal Singy ◽  
Orest Weber
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
End Of Life Care ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Life Care ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Cultural Teaching

Abstract Background: The linguistic and cultural diversity found in European societies creates specific challenges to palliative care clinicians. Patients’ heterogeneous habits, beliefs and social situations, and in many cases language barriers, add complexity to clinicians’ work. Cross-cultural teaching helps palliative care specialists deal with issues that arise from such diversity. This study aimed to provide interested educators and decision makers with ideas for how to implement cross-cultural training in palliative care. Methods: We conducted four focus groups in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland. All groups consisted of a mix of experts in palliative care and/or cross-cultural teaching. The interdisciplinary research team submitted the data for thematic content analysis.Results: Focus-group participants saw a clear need for courses addressing cross-cultural issues in end-of-life care, including in medical disciplines outside of palliative care (e.g. geriatrics, oncology, intensive care). We found that these courses should be embedded in existing training offerings and should appear at all stages of curricula for end-of-life specialists. Two trends emerged related to course content. One focuses on clinicians’ acquisition of cultural expertise and tools allowing them to deal with complex situations on their own; the other stresses the importance of clinicians’ reflections and learning to collaborate with other professionals in complex situations. These trends evoke recent debates in the literature: the quest for expertise and tools is related to traditional 20th century work on cross-cultural competence, whereas reflection and collaboration are central to more recent research that promotes cultural sensitivity and humility in clinicians.Conclusion: This study offers new insights into cross-cultural courses in palliative and end-of-life care. Basic knowledge on culture in medicine, variable practices related to death and dying, communication techniques, self-reflection on cultural references and aptitude for interprofessional collaboration are central to preparing clinicians in end-of-life settings to work with linguistically and culturally diverse patients.

Culturally sensitive palliative care in humanitarian action: Lessons from a critical interpretive synthesis of culture in palliative care literature

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
C.J. Schuster-Wallace ◽  
E. Nouvet ◽  
I. Rigby ◽  
G. Krishnaraj ◽  
S. de Laat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Culturally Sensitive ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Culturally Sensitive Care ◽  
Critical Interpretive Synthesis ◽  
Humanitarian Crises

Abstract Objective There is growing recognition of the importance of increasing preparedness for and the provision of palliative care in humanitarian crises. The primary objective of this review is to interpret the existing literature on culture and palliative care to query the recommendation that humanitarian healthcare providers, teams, and organizations integrate palliative care into their practice in ways that are attentive to and respectful of cultural differences. Methods A critical interpretive synthesis was applied to a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework. Analysis was based on directed data extraction and was team based, to ensure rigor and consistency. Results In total, 112 articles covering 51 countries and 9 major worldviews met inclusion criteria. This literature describes culture as it influences perspectives on death and dying, expectations of palliative care, and challenges to providing culturally sensitive care. A key pattern highlighted in articles with respect to the culture and palliative care literature is that culture is invoked in this literature as a sort of catch-all for non-white, non-Christian, indigenous practices, and preferences for palliative care. It is important that humanitarian healthcare providers and organizations aiming to enact their commitment of respect for all persons through attention to potential culturally specific approaches to pain management, suffering, and dying in specific crisis settings do so without reproducing Othering and reductionistic understandings of what culturally sensitive care in humanitarian crises settings involves. Significance of results This paper clarifies and unpacks the diverse influences of culture in palliative care with the goal of supporting the preparedness and capacity of humanitarian healthcare providers to provide palliative care. In doing so, it aids in thinking through what constitutes culturally sensitive practice when it comes to palliative care needs in humanitarian crises. Providing such care is particularly challenging but also tremendously important given that healthcare providers from diverse cultures are brought together under high stress conditions.

A Cross-Cultural Examination of Fears of Death among Saudi Arabians

1986 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis D. Long
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Factor Structure ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Saudi Arabian Students ◽  
Saudi Arabians

This article examines the factor structure of an eight-dimensional fear of death scale (Hoelter's multidimensional fear of death scale), which was translated into Arabic and administered to a sample of Saudi Arabian students temporarily living in the United States. The factor structure obtained in the present study only partially supports the factor structure first obtained by Hoelter (1979) for a United States sample, which was later replicated by Walkey (1982) for a New Zealand sample. The usefulness of Hoelter's eight fears of death and dying subscales in relation to Arabic populations is discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document