What the social sciences have to offer palliative care

A social science approach to end-of-life care (EoLC) means paying attention to the social context in which the care of the dying, and death itself, occurs. It is about considering
the actions of those involved in EoLC, including the patient, their family and healthcare staff, and the social world in which these take place. This approach can be conducted at a micro level – for example, by looking at how individuals speak to each other or by examining the physical environment in which the care takes place –and may incorporate more macro considerations, such as how groups of clinicians interact or the financial pressures on healthcare organisations. Focusing on these factors provides vital understanding of how and why care is delivered as it is and is, therefore, implicit in much EoLC research.