title: End-of-life care across Southern Europe: a critical review of cultural similarities and differences between Italy, Spain and Portugal.
abstract: Evidence from a range of sources demonstrates that end-of-life (EoL) care practices and preferences vary across countries; culture is consistently one of the main explanations given for this. In order to understand how cultural factors are used to explain similarities and differences in EoL care between Spain, Italy and Portugal, database and hand searches were performed and cross-cutting core themes identified. Similarities included higher proportions of people who wished to die at home than actually died at home, a persistent trend for partial disclosure in Italy and Spain, low use of advance directives, and low incidence of all medical EoL decisions (with the exception of terminal sedation) compared to northern European countries. The role of religion and the importance of family ties were the two main cultural factors used to explain the similarities. Further research is needed in order to interpret the important differences that were also found.
authors: Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB - Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona), Rosselló 132, S.A. 1, Barcelona 08036, Spain. arantza.menaca@cresib.cat
authors: Arantza
authors: A
authors: Meñaca
authors: Natalie
authors: N
authors: Evans
authors: Erin V W
authors: EV
authors: Andrew
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Toscani
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Finetti
authors: Xavier
authors: X
authors: Gómez-Batiste
authors: Irene J
authors: IJ
authors: Higginson
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Harding
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Pool
authors: Marjolein
authors: M
authors: Gysels
mesh_terms: D016223:Advance Directives / Q000941:ethics / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D003643:Death; D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D011174:Portugal; D012067:Religion; D013030:Spain; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology