A Case Study in Cross-cultural Health Care and Ethics: Who Decides What Is in the Child's "Best Interest"?

Health care in the United States is increasingly delivered in cross-cultural contexts. Empathy, mutual regard, respect, and compassionate communication are necessary to achieve the highest standard of care for each individual. Moral and ethical perspectives on life and death, health, and health care are not universal but rather have their origins within culture and societal norms. In a cross-cultural context, "the right decision" may be seen differently depending on an individual's cultural background, discipline, and type of education. This pediatric case study is intended to stimulate conversation on the need for culturally sensitive health care decision making and the shortcomings of a "one-size-fits-all" approach to bioethics in our increasingly interconnected world.