Muslims and End-of-Life Healthcare in Non-Muslim Majority Nations: A Systematic Literature Review.

ABSTRACT

CONTEXT As Muslim populations in non-Muslim majority nations grow and age, they will increasingly require culturally appropriate healthcare. Delivering such care requires understanding their experiences with, as well as preferences regarding, end-of-life healthcare. OBJECTIVES: To examine the experiences, needs, and challenges of Muslim patients and caregivers with end-of-life, hospice, and palliative care. METHODS: A systematic literature review using five databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library) and key terms related to Islam and end-of-life healthcare. Papers were limited to English-language empirical studies of adults in non-Muslim majority nations. After removing duplicates, titles, abstracts, and articles were screened for quality and reviewed by a multidisciplinary team. RESULTS: From an initial list of 1867 articles, 29 articles met all inclusion criteria. Most studies focused on end-of-life healthcare not related to palliative or hospice services and examined Muslim patient and caregiver experiences rather than their needs or challenges. Content analysis revealed three themes (1) the role of family in caregiving as a moral duty and as surrogate communicators; (2) gaps in knowledge among providers related to Muslim needs and gaps in patient/family knowledge about advance care planning; and (3) the influence of Islam on Muslim physicians' perspectives and practices. CONCLUSION: There is scant research on Muslim patients' and caregivers' engagement with end-of-life healthcare in non-Muslim majority nations. Existing research documents knowledge gaps impeding both Muslim patient engagement with end-of-life care and the delivery of culturally appropriate healthcare.