Age does matter for hospice care: Health care providers' attitudes toward hospice care in Binzhou, China.

ABSTRACT

Death is still a taboo subject in China. Consequently, hospice remains a relatively new concept in many parts of China. In addition, China is also a rapidly aging country which will likely impact health care delivery, making hospice a potentially effective addition to current healthcare systems. The goal of this study was to better understand health care providers' (physicians and nurses) views about potential hospice implementation, especially with regards to patients' age. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with 15 health care providers in Binzhou. Most participants felt that hospice care was only appropriate for older patients and rarely, if ever, for younger ones regardless of disease or prognosis. They also mentioned the links between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and many hospice principles. Given deeply held cultural attitudes about dying, hospice implementation would be most successful if directed toward older patients with terminal prognosis and with an emphasis on TCM.