Hospice topophilia and topophobia as experienced by a local population: Implications for equity of access

Abstract

The examination of hospice settings from the position of space and place is an emerging area of academic interest. Engaging with this perspective, this paper explores how topophilia and topophobia of the physical hospice setting coincides with and informs a broader love and fear of hospice care and UK hospice organisations. We report the findings of a qualitative study of 53 participants in the catchment population of a hospice in England. The coexistence of topophilia and topophobia of hospice is argued to have potential implications for equitable access to hospice care and may both facilitate and hinder efforts towards patient education and service improvement.