Palliative Medicine
Volume 24, Issue 4, 2010, Pages 427-434

'The worst thing about hospice is that they talk about deathg': Contrasting hospice decisions and experience among immigrant Central and South American Latinos with US-born White, non-Latino cancer caregivers (Article)

Kreling B. , Selsky C. , Perret-Gentil M. , Huerta E.E. , Mandelblatt J.S.
  • a Department of Oncology, Cancer Control Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3300 Whitehaven Street NW, Ste 4100, Washington, DC 20007, United States
  • b Department of Oncology, Cancer Control Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3300 Whitehaven Street NW, Ste 4100, Washington, DC 20007, United States
  • c Department of Oncology, Cancer Control Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3300 Whitehaven Street NW, Ste 4100, Washington, DC 20007, United States
  • d Washington Hospital Center, Medstar Research Institute, Washington, DC, United States
  • e Department of Oncology, Cancer Control Program, Georgetown University Medical Center, 3300 Whitehaven Street NW, Ste 4100, Washington, DC 20007, United States

Abstract

Hospice care is promoted as a model for improving end of life care and decreasing burden on caregivers. However, hospice use is low in Latinos and little is known about how Latinos make hospice decisions and experience hospice once enrolled. Qualitative methods were used in this study to conduct in-depth interviews and focus groups with 15 Latino bereaved hospice family caregivers and 15 White non-Latino bereaved hospice family caregivers to describe hospice experiences and evaluate whether cultural factors affected the experience. Differences in decision-making and caregiving experience were identified that were influenced by culture. For example, cultural values of denial, secrecy about prognosis and a collective, family-centered system influenced hospice decisions and experience in Latinos but not non-Latinos. This study identifies a significant dilemma: that is, how to discuss hospice with a patient and family who prefer not to discuss a terminal prognosis. Future research is needed to extend these preliminary results; such results may be useful for designing interventions to improve end of life care and caregiving in Latinos. © The Author(s) 2010.

Author Keywords

Latino cancer Hospice caregiving communication End of life

Index Keywords

immigrant attitude to death Caregivers clinical research bereavement Hospice Care denial terminal disease human middle aged controlled study comparative study Aged death Central America family health prognosis Hispanic Americans qualitative research interview United States Young Adult Humans family Hispanic male Emigrants and Immigrants female South America Aged, 80 and over Referral and Consultation cultural factor Article experience adult European Continental Ancestry Group medical decision making decision making caregiver
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77952995930&doi=10.1177%2f0269216310366605&partnerID=40&md5=a47c5e121777c36d63d9b2938a7a4321
DOI: 10.1177/0269216310366605
ISSN: 02692163
Cited by: 48
Original Language: English