Perceptions of care in patients from culturally and linguistically diverse background during acute and critical illness: A integrative literature review

Objectives: The aim of this review was to provide a synthesis of research on perceptions of safety and quality of care of patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds during acute and critical illness. Review method used: An integrative literature review based on the four-stage framework of Whittemore and Knafl was conducted including problem identification, a systematic literature search strategy, critical review of selected research articles, and integration of findings. Data sources: Primary research articles published between January 2008 and October 2020 were identified from seven databases: PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Web of Science, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline), PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus electronic databases. The comprehensive search also included a manual search of citations and references from the selected articles. Review methods: Data extracted from studies included authors, year, country of origin, methodology and method, sample or participants, key findings, strengths, and limitations. The Critical Appraisal Skill Programme was used to evaluate the quality of studies. Results: Sixteen studies were included in the final analysis after critical appraisal. Four themes were identified: communication; the influence of culture, spirituality, and religion on care expectations; end-of-life care; and organisational structure, policy, and culture. Conclusion: Research into patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds requiring care in acute and critical care areas is limited, in both the Australian and global context. There is an opportunity for future research in this area to inform the safety and quality of health care for this patient population and to enhance staff education and training programs.