Healthcare Provider’s Culture and Its Impact on End-Of-Life Discussions

Abstract

To examine the openness to communication in end-of-life care of three major ethno-cultural groups of healthcare providers (HCPs) (in Israel: Israeli Arabs (Arabs), Israeli Jews (Sabras), and Immigrants from the Soviet Union (Russians). An anonymized set of three questionnaires was distributed among 240 physicians and nurses (HCPs) from the three ethno-cultural groups, yielding a response rate of 91% (and 82% when including hospital division). Sabra ethno-cultural group was more open to communicating about and relating to end-of-life with terminally ill patients. While recent exposure to death and external locus of control decreased the effect of ethno-cultural background, the latter remained statistically significant. Gender, age, marital status, and specialty were not found to be influential factors.This research highlights the importance of increasing awareness and responses to the effects of HCPs’ culture on end-of-life care as varied cultures and medico-legal requirements come into contact in society.