Needs, experiences, and preferences of sexual minorities for end-of-life care and palliative care: a systematic review

Richard Harding, Eleni Epiphaniou, Jayne Chidgey-Clark

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

97 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objectives: To identify and appraise the existing evidence for the needs, experiences, and preferences for palliative and end-of-life (EOL) care in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) populations.

Method: The databases searched were Medline (1950-present), PsycInfo (1806-2010), Cinahl (1982-2010), and ASSIA (1987-2010).

Results: Among 4483 articles, 133 papers were chosen for further exploration. Overall, 12 papers were retained in the study. The majority of papers focused on the cancer experience of gay men and lesbian women. Only a few papers had evidence for the bisexual population, while no studies related to transgender people.

Conclusions: Existing evidence is explicit and indeed repetitive in highlighting the educational needs of health care professionals to explore sexual preferences, avoid heterosexist assumptions, and recognize the importance of partners in decision making. There is also a significant need to research LGBT experiences and refine services for patients and their caregivers.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberN/A
Pages (from-to)602-611
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Palliative Medicine
Volume15
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 May 2012

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Female
  • Homosexuality
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Minority Groups
  • Palliative Care
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care
  • Patient Preference
  • Terminal Care

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