Beyond barriers: reconsidering cultural sensitivity in hospice and palliative care services by applying the empathy map

Culturally sensitive palliative care for patients with a migration background (PwM) remains a critical but underexplored field, especially in the German healthcare context. Our study employs Dave Gray’s empathy map to capture healthcare providers’ perspectives on the challenges, needs, and experiences of PwM in hospice and palliative care. We investigated palliative care challenges through open-ended questions in an online survey conducted across various hospice and palliative care settings. Based on 332 completed responses, our analysis revealed significant barriers to delivering culturally sensitive care. Using qualitative content analysis, we applied an empathy map to identify categories. Findings showed that language barriers and cultural insensitivity notably hindered communication, access, and trust-building. PwM often relied on family networks, which caused delayed care-seeking and logistical difficulties. Despite these challenges, PwM strived for dignity, trust, and care aligned with their cultural background. Our study highlights the importance of empathy-based approaches in hospice and palliative care and the effectiveness of the empathy map as an instrument for identifying challenges and gaps. By addressing the specific needs of PwM, the findings contribute meaningful insights for healthcare providers, policymakers, and researchers.