Hospital, Aboriginal Palliative Approaches Clash

Hospital, Aboriginal Palliative Approaches Clash

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at 12:08

A University of Regina psychology professor says hospitals are often not set up to accommodate Aboriginal end of life traditions.

Dr. Mary Hampton says her extensive research in Aboriginal communities has led her to believe that culture plays an important role in death.

But Hampton says there is a somewhat of a ‘culture clash’ when people are receiving palliative health care in hospital settings.

“We have observed that there are some problems between Aboriginal family members and non-Aboriginal health care providers,” she says.

Hampton will be giving a lecture on the subject tomorrow night at the Chapters bookstore in Regina.