Resource Center

This resource addresses three major areas of cultural relevance in end-of-life care: cultural competency in clinical practice; advance directives; and pain management.

According to Phyllis R. Coolen, "Working within the cultural context of the patient and family is an essential underpinning of end-of-life care.  Cultural influences can significantly impact the patient’s reaction to the dying process and the decisions the patient and family make (Giger, et al., 2006; Kagawa-Singer & Backhall, 2001; Koenig & Gates-Williams, 1995; Searight & Gafford, 2005a). Fostering trust is vital to the care of the patient and family during this difficult time.  End-of-life care means more than treating physical symptoms, but extends to the psychosocial, existential, and spiritual aspects of the patient’s needs."

About the organizaiton: EthnoMed is Harborview Medical Center’s ethnic medicine website containing medical and cultural information about immigrant and refugee groups. Information is specific to groups in the Seattle area, but much of the cultural and health information is of interest and applicable in other geographic areas. EthnoMed is a joint program of the University of Washington Health Sciences Libraries and Harborview Medical Center’s Interpreter Services Department (ISD).