Cultural Responsiveness and Palliative Care during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, much has changed in the delivery of palliative care (PC). However, cultural responsiveness remains critical to our mission. It is essential to our aims of identifying individual goals of care and providing relief of suffering for our patients. Cultural responsiveness may also enhance trust and could be a mitigating factor in the staggering health care disparities unmasked during this pandemic. In this study, the authors outline the rationale for renewed focus on this issue, and offer some initial suggestions for how culturally responsive PC can be provided even in this extraordinary time.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• cultural awareness
• cultural competence
• cultural humility
• cultural responsiveness
• palliative care