Taiwanese indigenous cancer survivors intent to advance care planning

---

Yvonne Hsiung

Mackay Medical College, Taiwan

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

---

Hospice service and end-of-life planning have been promoted in the mainstream culture by the Taiwanese government and societal efforts in the hope of reducing over or under-treatment and minimize conflicts among patients, family members, and healthcare providers. However, a generally unsatisfactory rate of palliative care usage and understanding remains from official reports. In addition, very little is known about Taiwanese indigenous cancer survivors’ Advance Care Planning (ACP) and their participation in public education. Studies relevant to ACP are scare and based almost entirely on the non-indigenous Taiwanese. A groundbreaking qualitative study was completed to portrait lived illness and health-seeking experiences among indigenous cancer survivors. Eighteen semi-structured interviews from a diverse indigenous sample have depicted this underrepresented group’s ACP public understanding and behavioral engagement. The result showed that indigenous cancer survivors in Taiwanese were extremely limited in their knowledge for end-of-life decision-making; their low awareness of ACP was affected by incomplete and inadequate information mostly inaccessible and unavailable in the remote areas. The rich qualitative data have contributed to a better collective understanding of indigenous cancer survivors’ ACP decisions. Psychological and behavioral factors were identified to offer explanations why some had better readiness to participate in executing advance directives appoint a durable power of attorney, but some had concerns discussing with family and health care providers. Future studies are to seek interventions that better anticipate indigenous people’s palliative care/hospice usage, foster culturally appropriate public participation in the areas of ACP education and palliative care policy-making.

Biography

---

E-mail: yvonnebear@mmc.edu.tw