About

This blog has been set up with the aim of providing a space for the exploration of cultural issues in end of life care.

It has come about as part of the PRISMA project.  PRISMA is a programme aiming to inform best practice and harmonise research in end of life care for cancer patients across Europe through comparison and exchange of approaches and experiences in measurement and research priorities.  It is a three-year programme funded by the EU, which started on the 1^st of May ’08, in which 11 European partners collaborate.  It is a ‘coordination’ project and therefore works through meetings, workshops, establishing contacts and building expert networks.

One of the foci of the programme is to develop collaboration on culture and end of life care across different countries in Europe.  In order to achieve culturally appropriate quality standards for end of life care we need to explore and map cultural differences in definitions and priorities for end of life care in and across European countries.  We need to understand the ideas that drive countries to organise and approach care at the end of life in varying ways, and which elements combine into cultural traditions. In the multicultural societies that European countries have developed into, it is important to understand which ideas and norms can coexist or cross-cut, so that we can achieve workable concepts.

The project includes the building of a network of collaboration whereby experts in culture and end of life care are identified to provide a basis for future collaboration.  Network participants are also asked to complete a short questionnaire and identify other potential contacts.  This blog gives the network participants an opportunity to debate issues and interact with other network members.

In addition once the results of the project have been published, they will be disseminated through this blog.

All content is the responsibility of PRISMA member Natalie Evans unless otherwise stated.  Please contact Natalie if you would like to make a guest blog post or have any other suggestions: n.evans@vumc.nl.