The palliative care needs of ethnic minority patients attending a day-care centre: a qualitative study.

The aim of this study was to assess the culture-specific palliative care needs of ethnic minority patients. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted using elements of phenomenology with four ethnic minority patients who were attending a day-care centre. Although the aim was to assess cultural needs, it was found that the patients expressed basic human needs rather than culture-specific ones. The theme of acculturation, where patients 'fit in' with the dominant culture, was predominant. This suggests that stereotypical cultural care may not always be appropriate, as micro-cultures and individual diversity within cultures exist. These should be explored in the cultural assessment of ethnic minority patients.