Cultural issues in palliative care.

Abstract

The understanding of different cultural needs is important in the field of palliative care. An individual's cultural background influences their way of behaviour and view of the world they live in. In Britain today, 5.5 per cent of the population comes from minority cultural groups. This paper argues that cultures in a plural society like Britain's are not static but continually changing. The nature of this change is discussed by looking at the processes of enculturation and acculturation. It is also argued that although some cultural change may take place, some basic rituals at death and dying remain unaffected. This then raises the need for health care professionals to be aware of the original (purist) value and belief system of each individual patient's culture, i.e. before acculturation, and keep that as a broad framework while assessing the current values and beliefs of that individual patient. The difference between culture and religion is briefly discussed, then a few cultural groups are selected to describe beliefs and practices during dying and at death. This is important because the basic tenet of palliative care is to view and treat the patient holistically. To do so, a clear understanding of the patient's values and belief system must be foremost.