A literature review on end-of-life care among Korean Americans

摘要

Background: The increasing population of Korean Americans in the US makes it mandatory to develop and provide culturally competent end-of-life (EOL) care for this population. Aims: To synthesize previous studies on Korean Americans and their end-of-life (EOL) care. Method: Four databases (Cinahl, Psyclnfo, PubMed, and Soclndex) were searched and 11 articles were selected for review. Results: Korean Americans tend to avoid EOL communication, and instead hope that their families would know about their wishes, without discussing them directly. Korean Americans consider advance directives unnecessary, and only a few Korean Americans use advance directives to lessen the burden of their family's decision-making. Many Korean Americans are unaware of what EOL care provides, which may explain why they seldom use it. Conclusion: Providers should discuss EOL care with Korean Americans and tell them what it entails. However, the discussion should be culturally tailored and involve family members whenever possible.