Cultural and Religious Diversity in Hospice and Palliative Care: A Qualitative Cross-Country Comparative Analysis of the Challenges of health Care Professionals

Pentaris Panagiotis, Louise Lund Holm Thomsen

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Research has abundantly demonstrated a strong relationship between culture, religion, and the experiences of death, dying, and bereavement. Consequently, cultural competence and a religiously sensitive practice have become highly relevant to social policies and professional practice. However, our current knowledge of culturally competent and religiously sensitive end-of-life care is primarily context specific, with little space for generalizability. This article reports on findings from a qualitative comparative analysis of two nation-specific studies that examined religious literacy and cultural competency, respectively, among palliative-care professionals, drawing on similarities and attempting to identify further applicability of nation-centered knowledge. The study recognized six practice-based approaches in palliative and hospice care, when responding to cultural and religious or nonreligious identities of services users. These approaches intersect with each other via three organizational layers identified in the study: foundations, culture, and professionals. Each identified practice-based approach seems to be incomplete when working with individuals for whom religion, belief, and cultural identities are important. Change in practice is possible if all three organizational layers are considered simultaneously, while further research will shed more light about the benefits and challenges of each approach.

Original languageEnglish
JournalOmega: Journal of Death and Dying
Volume81
Issue number4
Pages (from-to)648–669
ISSN0030-2228
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • cross-nationality
  • cultural competence
  • hospice care
  • palliative care
  • religious literacy

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