Healthcare and Hispanic Americans: End-of-Life Decision Making

by | Sep 4, 2025 | Blog

End-of-life decision making is a heavy burden for patients and their families. For Hispanic Americans, this critical matter poses a complex intersection of cultural factors that can make the process more complex and grueling on an emotional level.

Within this blog series, we have discussed such cultural factors as Familismo, faith, and Hispanic Americans’ relationship with healthcare. Each of these factors is of course heavily influenced by the others, and they are likely to mix and clash in such a situation as the end-of-life (EOL) care of a loved one.

Let’s Review:

  • Familismo can be described as a greater sense of dedication and loyalty to one’s family within Hispanic American households. When working with Hispanic American older adults, you’re likely to find that they are hesitant to make a decision without the input of their family. This comes into play even with important health matters, and especially with discussions around EOL care.
  • About 90% of the Spanish-speaking world identifies as Roman Catholic. Hispanic Americans’ faith contributes largely to their decision making when it comes to EOL care, as it relates heavily to familismo and a general sense of respect, morality, and reservation.
  • Due to a common reverence for medical professionals, Hispanic Americans are likely to be shy and submissive in person, but in practice their private opinions and culture may affect their commitment to medical advice. This can result in poor communication with medical professionals and compromises to the success of their medical care.

Getting familiar with these factors is the first step in improving your cultural competence, if you or your organization’s role is involved medically or otherwise in a Hispanic American’s EOL decision making.

But what conclusions are we to draw from these factors? While every family is going to be unique, studies and surveys have given us a look into what these factors can look like when at play. A 2010 study aimed to understand the preferences and beliefs of Hispanic American older adults when it comes to their EOL care. It was found that 84% of participants reported a preference toward medical care focused on comfort, rather than extending their life, and that 64% were in favor of family-centered decision making. From these statistics we can recognize familismo and tendencies related to family caregiving, a desire for loved ones suffering to be minimal and for family to remain involved.

This perspective is further supported in a survey conducted by Compassion & Choices, aimed at understanding Hispanic American feelings toward EOL medical assistance in dying. The survey found that 69% of participants agreed that it is “morally acceptable to ask for medical assistance” in ending one’s life for patients with terminal illnesses. Amongst these participants, 70% of those who identify as Catholic also agreed. Suggesting that despite potential religious qualms, participants favored their care, loyalty, and love in the decision making of a loved-ones EOL care.

Once again, understanding this modern picture of the Hispanic American community, and their preferences toward EOL care is highly important in providing culturally competent medical care. Not every family is going to feel the same way, but bearing in mind how these cultural factors work together in Hispanic American families’ decision-making will make a positive difference in a patient’s EOL care.

Do you want to learn more about Hispanics and Latinos, how to work with this wonderful community, and how to support the community programs that allow them to prosper? Consider reaching out to the National Hispanic Council on Aging Resource Center, by phone call or WhatsApp, at (202) 658 – 8664. The NHCOA Resource Center is a multilingual hub that educates and empowers community members and constituents with accurate information and helpful resources.

This publication is supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $210,023 with 67 percentage funded by ACL/HHS and $70,240 amount and 33 percentage funded by non-government source (s). The contents are those of the author (s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACL/HHS, or the U.S. Government.

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