PPT38 Creative methodologies in global palliative care

<h3>Background</h3> In the United Kingdom (UK), social prescribing for people affected by life-limiting illness provides crafts and arts activities that support wellbeing, giving service users time to be mindful, feel safe and elicit further reflection. However, such activities are less often used in research and evaluation; this paper seeks to critically reflect and extend on an international case study applying participatory creative approaches and consider the implications for ethical and inclusive palliative care research. <h3>Method</h3> A study was recently undertaken involving cancer patients in Northern Ghana exploring their experiences with treatment.¹ This applied a participatory fabric-based creative art approach to elicit and facilitate the sharing of experiences and views in a sensitive, relaxed way that also used traditional spoken interview techniques. Individual fabric art was digitised and published as a collection and shared with policymakers. We used reflection and learning from this approach to recommend the decolonising of creative approaches² to challenge existing global health paradigms. We are now working with UK hospice staff, service users, and marginalised communities not using the service, to design research and evaluations applying art to explore their experiences and values at end of life <h3>Results</h3> We found using fabric crafts offered an inclusive approach that did not require or privilege language, dexterity or literacy. Participants reported personal reflection opportunities and benefits. The findings often showed unique insights not spoken about or helped convey emotions and sentiments more articulately. Dissemination of the published artwork with policy makers transcended traditional power dynamics and offered powerful opportunities to share cancer insights. <h3>Conclusion</h3> We have found creative methods offer a sensitive approach which can contribute to decolonising the epistemological gaze in global palliative care. In so doing we encourage wider reflection and dialogue about the role of creative methodologies in ethically evaluating palliative care. <h3>References</h3> Tuck CZ, Akparibo R, Gray LA, <i>et al</i>. What are the lived experiences of patients with cancer and their families in northern Ghana? A qualitative study using narrative interview and creative task approach. <i>BMJ Open</i> 2025;<b>15</b>:e093303. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-093303 Tuck C, Gray L, Akparibo R, Cooper R. Why do we need a shift to the transformative paradigm if we are to decolonise global health? <i>Global Health Research and Policy</i> 2025;<b>10</b>:46. doi: 10.1186/s41256-025-00443-9