TABLE 5.

Effects of Culture and Religion on Prognostic Disclosure

Nondisclosure to children is considered acceptable in many cultures.85

For example, Chinese, Korean, and Russian American families may often withhold challenging information from children to preserve hope, fearing that loss of hope will affect survival.86–88

In many cultures, “family” can include extended family as well as community members.

Providers ought to respect individual religious, cultural, and family values and practices while preserving the integrity of the parent-child relationship.

When cultural traditions conflict with ethical standards of medical practice, clinicians should first strive to better understand the family’s thoughts and beliefs.

Clinicians should never stereotype families or patients based on their perceived cultural beliefs. Rather, clinicians should simply ask families about their individual preferences.