Advance care planning with patients of Islamic migration background: a qualitative study identifying the need for relational autonomy and hope-sustaining communication
Qualitative study identifies the need for culturally sensitive ACP strategies to support family-driven decision-making for patients with an Islamic migration background.
Key Points
This study aims to explore the perspectives of patients with an Islamic migration background on advance care planning (ACP) within the Dutch healthcare system.
Conducted a qualitative study with two focus groups (14 participants) and interviews with 6 patients receiving palliative care in the Netherlands.
Utilized semi-structured interview guides and an ACP introduction video to facilitate discussions.
Applied inductive thematic analysis to interpret the data collected from interviews.
ACP decision-making is primarily influenced by family involvement and relational autonomy; individual preferences varied among generations.
Cultural and religious beliefs significantly shape the understanding of illness and suffering, indicating a need for clinicians to explore patients' definitions of hope and meaning.
Maintaining hope in communication is essential; direct messages that remove hope can damage trust and engagement in ACP conversations.