Shared decision making with ethnic minorities in oncology: An interview study.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Disparities
• Shared Decision-Making

Background:

• Ethnic minority patients and their relatives often face unique challenges in shared decision-making (SDM) within oncological hospital care.
• Healthcare professionals (HCPs) may struggle to effectively engage ethnic minority patients in SDM due to various factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of ethnic minority patients, relatives, and HCPs regarding SDM in oncology.
• To identify opportunities for improving SDM for ethnic minorities by linking findings to value structures.

Main Methods:

• Interviews were conducted with ethnic minority patients (n=22), relatives (n=11), and HCPs (n=14).
• Reflexive thematic analysis was employed, utilizing Schwartz's value theory adapted for SDM.

Main Results:

• Key themes identified include factors empowering/disempowering patients in SDM (knowledge, support, HCP-patient relationship), individualization of treatment decisions through deliberation, and HCPs' limited insight into patients' contexts due to cultural competence gaps.
• HCPs reported challenges stemming from a lack of cultural competences and perceived cultural differences.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing SDM for ethnic minorities requires strengthening HCPs' cultural competencies, providing culturally and linguistically tailored information and support, and fostering relationship-building.
• Educational programs for HCPs, targeted campaigns, and integrated culturally sensitive support systems are recommended.
• Efforts should be responsive to cultural aspects without overemphasizing differences, acknowledging commonalities with the general patient population.