Perspectives of Health Care Providers on US South Asians’ Attitudes Toward Pain Management at End of Life

Abstract

A lack of research on pain management among seriously ill South Asians reveals a critical gap in the knowledge base regarding culturally responsive end-of-life care. This qualitative descriptive study investigated the perspectives of health care providers that have cared for seriously ill older South Asians, on the attitudes of US South Asians toward the management of pain experienced at end of life and the factors that influenced these attitudes. Thematic analysis of interviews and focus group discussions with 57 health care providers indicated that providers perceive South Asian patients and families to be generally reluctant to use medications to treat pain experienced at end of life. Detailed description of patient-related and culturally based reasons for this reluctance is provided along with implications for hospice and palliative care.