Abstract
BackgroundEvidence of low end-of-life (EoL) care service use by minority ethnic groups in the UK has given rise to a body of research and a number of reviews of the literature. This article aims to review and evaluate literature reviews on minority ethnic groups and EoL care in the UK and assess their suitability as an evidence base for policy.MethodsSystematic review. Searches were carried out in thirteen electronic databases, eight journals, reference lists, and grey literature. Reviews were included if they concerned minority ethnic groups and EoL care in the UK. Reviews were graded for quality and key themes identified.ResultsThirteen reviews (2001-2009) met inclusion criteria. Seven took a systematic approach, of which four scored highly for methodological quality (a mean score of six, median seven). The majority of systematic reviews were therefore of a reasonable methodological quality. Most reviews were restricted by ethnic group, aspect of EoL care, or were broader reviews which reported relevant findings. Six key themes were identified.ConclusionsA number of reviews were systematic and scored highly for methodological quality. These reviews provide a good reflection of the primary evidence and could be used to inform policy. The complexity and inter-relatedness of factors leading to low service use was recognised and reflected in reviews' recommendations for service improvement. Recommendations made in the UK End-of-Life Care Strategy were limited in comparison, and the Strategy's evidence base concerning minority ethnic groups was found to be narrow. Future policy should be embedded strongly in the evidence base to reflect the current literature and minimise bias.
Highlights
Evidence of low end-of-life (EoL) care service use by minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom (UK) has given rise to a body of research and a number of reviews of the literature
Evidence-based public healthcare policy Public health policy is ideally informed by an up-to-date and unbiased evidence base [1]. This can take the form of research studies, expert opinion, public consultations and literature reviews
A number of reviews were systematic and scored highly for methodological quality. These reviews provide a good reflection of the primary evidence and could be used to inform policy
Summary
Evidence of low end-of-life (EoL) care service use by minority ethnic groups in the UK has given rise to a body of research and a number of reviews of the literature. Evidence-based public healthcare policy Public health policy is ideally informed by an up-to-date and unbiased evidence base [1] This can take the form of research studies, expert opinion, public consultations and literature reviews (systematic or traditional narrative). Systematic reviews of qualitative studies are, important, as quantitative research can be inadequate for the comprehension of important issues such as understanding patients’ healthcare seeking behaviour or the acceptability of interventions [6,7]. These may be better ascertained through thorough, in-depth, qualitative research into practitioners’ and patients’ attitudes, beliefs, and preferences [6,7]. The systematic review of qualitative literature is gaining popularity in healthcare research [8]
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