Family Physicians' Perspectives and Practices on Advance Care Planning in Regional Cities in Japan and the United States: A Convergent Parallel Mixed-Methods Study

TL;DR

This study compares how family physicians in Japan and the US approach advance care planning, highlighting cultural and systemic influences on their practices.

Contribution

The study provides a cross-cultural comparison of family physicians' perspectives on advance care planning in Japan and the US.

Findings

Both Japanese and American family physicians prioritize patient wishes in ACP.

American physicians emphasize documentation and language skills more than their Japanese counterparts.

Japanese physicians equally focus on communication with patients and their families.

Abstract

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) has been widely recognized and practiced worldwide since the 1990s. However, only a few studies have compared clinicians' international perceptions of and experiences with ACP. Therefore, this study explored the perceptions and practices of family physicians (FPs) regarding ACP in Japan and the United States.

Methods: We conducted a convergent parallel mixed-methods study using a cross-sectional web-based anonymous questionnaire survey to examine how the perceptions and practices of ACP differ between Japanese and American FPs working in regional cities.

Results: Responses from 20 and 19 FPs in Japan and the United States were obtained, respectively. Both FP groups received ACP training during their residency and practiced ACP with the highest regard for the patient's wishes and values. Quantitative analysis revealed that American FPs placed more emphasis on documentation and patient language skills. Qualitative analysis revealed that Japanese FPs equally emphasized communication with patients' families and with patients. We merged the results of both analyses and hypothesized that the variations in the FPs' approaches to ACP might reflect variations in their backgrounds, such as health insurance systems, cultures, and values in the two countries, rather than differences between individual physicians.

Conclusion: Our study showed that both Japanese and American FPs respect patients' wishes in ACP, with some differences in their perceptions and practices. Therefore, FPs should understand and be flexible with their patients' values and cultural backgrounds as intercultural translators while following appropriate management procedures for successful ACP.

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