Work

‘I think it's wrong, but it helps' – a focused ethnography of benzodiazepine practices in specialist palliative care

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Benzodiazepines are a class of drug extensively used in palliative care. Their use has predominantly been studied within a biomedical framework. Our study instead focused on the sociocultural aspects of benzodiazepine practices. We aimed to explore clinicians, patients and family members' values, beliefs, knowledge and feelings regarding use of benzodiazepines, including in-situ clinical decision-making processes, affects and actions. Social theory understandings of affect, the body and of suffering provided the theoretical lens through which data were analysed. Analysis generated the following themes: (1) A special specialty; (2) The suffering body and the moral imperative to 'settle; (3) The liminal body - living and dying; and (4) Organizational realities. Use of benzodiazepines were largely governed by social and moral norms, cultural expectations and organizational realities as part of affective assemblages of care.

Source: Health Sociology Review

DOI: 10.1080/14461242.2025.2461332

Authors: Aileen Collier, Michael Chapman, Annmarie Hosie

Institutions: Flinders University, Australian National University, Canberra Hospital, University of Technology Sydney, The University of Notre Dame Australia

Language: English

Topic: Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Flinders University