End-of-Life Care Beliefs Among Hindu Physicians in the United States

Abstract

Several studies from the United States and Europe showed that physicians' religiosity is associated with their approach to end-of-life care beliefs. No such studies have focused exclusively on Hindu physicians practicing in the United States. A 34-item questionnaire was sent to 293 Hindu physicians in the United States. Most participants believed that their religious beliefs do not influence their practice of medicine and do not interfere with withdrawal of life support. The US practice of discussing end-of-life issues with the patient, rather than primarily with the family, seems to have been adopted by Hindu physicians practicing in the United States. It is likely that the ethical, cultural, and patient-centered environment of US health care has influenced the practice of end-of-life care by Hindu physicians in this country.

A systematic review of religious beliefs about major end-of-life issues in the five major world religions

“…In a study of Hindu physicians working in the United States (Ramalingam et al, 2015), 80% of respondents acknowledged talking first with patients about DNR decision making and 70% involved family members in these DNR discussions. A total of 60% considered DNR to be allowed in Hinduism, and 86% did not believe that withdrawing life-support measures was in-congruent with their religious beliefs.…”

“…A different American study showed that 86% of Hindu physicians do not think that their religious beliefs interfere with administration of terminal sedation, but only 6% of these healthcare providers reported having high intrinsic religiosity (Ramalingam et al, 2015). …”

Perspectives of Health Care Providers on US South Asians’ Attitudes Toward Pain Management at End of Life

“…A recent study investigated Hindu doctors' practices about talking to patients and families about do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders, but the researchers did not identify the ethnicity of the patients they had cared for. 12 This study found that majority of the respondents talked to the patient before involving the family in DNR discussions and reported that their religious beliefs did not influence their medical practices such as withdrawing life support, sedation, giving intravenous fluids, and administering analgesia to patients with terminal illnesses. 12…”

“…12 This study found that majority of the respondents talked to the patient before involving the family in DNR discussions and reported that their religious beliefs did not influence their medical practices such as withdrawing life support, sedation, giving intravenous fluids, and administering analgesia to patients with terminal illnesses. 12…”

“…These include practices of physiciandirected care and family-based decision making. 11,12 South Asians, the US Health Care System, and End-of-Life Care Among all ethnic minority populations, levels of satisfaction with health care in the United States have been found to be lowest among Asians. 13 Socioeconomic status, communication (including potential language barriers), immigration status, health literacy, culture, and spiritual issues are only a few of the many interplaying factors that influence South Asians' experience of the health care system.…”