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Racial differences in self-reported exposure to information about hospice care.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Johnson, KS; Kuchibhatla, M; Tulsky, JA
Published in: J Palliat Med
October 2009

BACKGROUND: Previous research suggests that lack of knowledge of hospice is a barrier to the use of hospice care by African Americans. However, there is little data examining racial differences in exposure to hospice information. OBJECTIVES: Examine racial differences in self-reported exposure to hospice information and determine how this exposure impacts beliefs about hospice care. METHODS: We surveyed 200 community-dwelling older adults (65 or older). We used Spearman's correlations to examine the relationship between responses to individual items on the Hospice Beliefs and Attitudes Scale (HBAS) and self-reported exposure to hospice information (never heard of hospice, heard a little, or heard a lot). We used multivariate analyses to examine predictors of exposure to hospice information and beliefs about hospice care (total score on HBAS). RESULTS: Compared to whites (n = 95), African Americans (n = 105) reported significantly less exposure to hospice information (p = 0.0004). Nineteen percent of African Americans and 4% of whites had never heard of hospice; 47.6% of African Americans and 71.6% of whites had heard a lot about hospice. In multivariate analysis controlling for demographics and health status, African Americans had a two times higher odds of reporting that they had never heard of hospice or heard only a little about hospice versus heard a lot about hospice (odds ratio [OR] = 2.24 [1.17, 4.27]. Greater exposure to hospice information was associated with more favorable beliefs about hospice care (outcome: total score on HBAS; parameter estimate 1.34, standard error 0.44, p = 002). CONCLUSIONS: African Americans reported less exposure to information about hospice than whites. Greater exposure to hospice information was associated with more favorable beliefs about some aspects of hospice care. Because knowledge is power, educational programs targeting older African Americans are needed to dispel myths about hospice and to provide minorities with the tools to make informed choices about end-of-life care.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

J Palliat Med

DOI

EISSN

1557-7740

Publication Date

October 2009

Volume

12

Issue

10

Start / End Page

921 / 927

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Self Disclosure
  • Risk Factors
  • Racial Groups
  • Psychometrics
  • Odds Ratio
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Hospice Care
 

Citation

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Johnson, K. S., Kuchibhatla, M., & Tulsky, J. A. (2009). Racial differences in self-reported exposure to information about hospice care. J Palliat Med, 12(10), 921–927. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2009.0066
Johnson, Kimberly S., Maragatha Kuchibhatla, and James A. Tulsky. “Racial differences in self-reported exposure to information about hospice care.J Palliat Med 12, no. 10 (October 2009): 921–27. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2009.0066.
Johnson KS, Kuchibhatla M, Tulsky JA. Racial differences in self-reported exposure to information about hospice care. J Palliat Med. 2009 Oct;12(10):921–7.
Johnson, Kimberly S., et al. “Racial differences in self-reported exposure to information about hospice care.J Palliat Med, vol. 12, no. 10, Oct. 2009, pp. 921–27. Pubmed, doi:10.1089/jpm.2009.0066.
Johnson KS, Kuchibhatla M, Tulsky JA. Racial differences in self-reported exposure to information about hospice care. J Palliat Med. 2009 Oct;12(10):921–927.
Journal cover image

Published In

J Palliat Med

DOI

EISSN

1557-7740

Publication Date

October 2009

Volume

12

Issue

10

Start / End Page

921 / 927

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • United States
  • Self Disclosure
  • Risk Factors
  • Racial Groups
  • Psychometrics
  • Odds Ratio
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Hospice Care