Cultural influences on health care in Palestine

International cancer care efforts are focusing increasingly on why cancer typically is diagnosed at later stages in the developing world. In Middle Eastern countries, cancer usually is diagnosed at a more advanced stage of disease. For example, in Palestine, 42% of cases were reported stage III and 18% were stage IV. Receiving a cancer diagnosis and seeking treatment is influenced by cultural values and how the community views cancer. Healthcare providers need to understand the disparities and the influence of those disparities on health outcomes. This article is constructed using the Culture Care Theory,which depicts the importance of culture on the health behavior of the individual, and will focus on how cultural values of Palestinian patients with cancer and their families affect attitudes toward and decisions about cancer care.