Cultural and Spiritual Approaches to Infant Death in Palliative Care

Supporting families coping with the loss of a child is a challenge in an increasingly culturally diverse world. This systematic review, conducted using the PRISMA methodology and covering the period from 2018 to 2022, analyzed 30 articles identified in Web of Science and Scopus to examine how cultural and spiritual beliefs shape the experience of pediatric palliative care. The results were organised into three thematic blocks: Islamic culture, Asian culture and a general category on cultural influence. In Islamic culture, acceptance of death as divine will and religious rituals offer comfort and meaning, although they can create tensions with clinical practice. In the Asian context, the centrality of the family, familism and rituals play a crucial role, although taboos surrounding infant death persist. In the general category, the difficulties faced by professionals in integrating the spiritual and cultural dimensions are evident, highlighting the need for specific training to provide culturally competent care. Across the board, the findings confirm that spirituality acts as a protective factor, although a lack of sensitivity to family beliefs can increase suffering. The conclusion is that there is a need to expand research to underrepresented cultural contexts and to develop guidelines to assist professionals in providing comprehensive and compassionate care for children and adolescents in palliative care

Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues