"It's not necessarily the distance on the map...": using place as an analytic tool to elucidate geographic issues central to rural palliative care.
Palliative care is intimately connected with place, yet little research has explored these relationships in depth, especially with respect to rural and remote settings. This paper uses multiple dimensions of the concept 'place' as an analytic tool to understand the nature of palliative care provision in a rural region of British Columbia, Canada. We draw upon primary data from formal and informal providers (n = 31) to explore the social and physical place of rural palliative care. We unpack four highly geographic issues raised by participants, namely: (1) distance, (2) location, (3) aesthetics, and (4) sites of care. This analysis reveals a rich and complex experience of rural care-giving long overlooked in palliative care research and policy.
Castleden
Heather
H
School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3J5. heather.castleden@dal.ca
Crooks
Valorie A
VA
Schuurman
Nadine
N
Hanlon
Neil
N
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001955:British Columbia; D005843:Geography; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012944:Social Support; D014186:Transportation; D014887:Weather