A Comparative Study of Death Discourse in Palliative Care Wards and Regular Cancer Wards from the Conversation Analysis Perspective

This study explores the differences in death discourse between palliative care wards and regular cancer wards through the lens of conversation analysis, using data from the Chinese anti-cancer documentary Sheng Sheng. The research fo-cuses on the questioning strategies employed by doctors and the nature of doc-tor-patient communication in these two settings. By analyzing 81 instances of questionings and six doctor-patient interactions, the study reveals distinct pat-terns in communication, particularly in how doctors approach end-of-life dis-cussions, patient autonomy, and family involvement. The findings indicate that palliative care wards emphasize emotional support, patient-centered care, and family involvement, while regular cancer wards focus more on clinical deci-sion-making and treatment management. The study employs Hymes’ SPEAKING model to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the contextual, emotional, and cultural factors influencing these interactions. The results high-light the importance of tailored communication strategies in dif-ferent medical settings to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction.