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End-of-life care for Filipino patients with cancer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2022

Geneva E. Guarin Open the ORCID record for Geneva E. Guarin [Opens in a new window] ,
Edward Christopher Dee ,
Janine Patricia G. Robredo ,
Michelle Ann B. Eala ,
Manuel F. Medina Jr.  and
Kimberson C. Tanco
Geneva E. Guarin*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Edward Christopher Dee
Affiliation:
Department of Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
Janine Patricia G. Robredo
Affiliation:
Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, Manila, Philippines
Michelle Ann B. Eala
Affiliation:
College of Medicine, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines
Manuel F. Medina Jr.
Affiliation:
Supportive, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Philippines
Kimberson C. Tanco
Affiliation:
Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Geneva E. Guarin, Department of Medicine, Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA. Email: GuarinGe@einstein.edu
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Abstract

Providing end-of-life care within the cultural context of a Filipino patient in the United States is a complex process for clinicians, patients, and their families. An inclusive approach is crucial, especially because a significant proportion of patients belong to minority groups such as Filipinos, who represent the fourth largest group of immigrants in the United States as of data available in 2019. The case provided in this paper highlights the importance of family, religion, and finances in guiding the best possible way of providing end-of-life care for Filipino patients with cancer. At the end of this review, we discuss concrete action points that may give a non-Filipino physician a deeper understanding of end-of-life care for Filipinos.

Keywords

PalliativeFilipinoCancerEnd-of-lifeMinority
Type
Case Report
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , April 2023 , pp. 365 - 369
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press.

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