Care at the end of life: focus on communication and race.

Care at the end of life: focus on communication and race. Zapka, J. G.; Carter, R.; Carter, C. L.; Hennessy, W.; Kurent, J. E.; and DesHarnais, S. Journal of aging and health, 18:791–813, December, 2006.
doi abstract bibtex

To profile communication and recommendations reported by adults with terminal illness and explore differences by patient and physician characteristics. This pilot was a cross-sectional study sample of 90 patients (39 Caucasian, 51 African American) with advanced heart failure or cancer. Participants completed an in-person, race-matched interview. Participation was high (94%). For example, only 30% reported discussion of advance directives, and 22% reported their physician inquired about spiritual support. Participants with cancer were significantly more likely to be receiving pain and/or symptom management at home, aware of prognosis, and participating in hospice. African American participants who were under the care of African American physicians were less likely to report pain and/or symptom management than other racial matches.Discussion: Although additional research on factors related to communication is important, initiation of patient-centered counseling by all physicians with seriously ill patients is essential.

@Article{Zapka2006,
  author          = {Zapka, Jane G. and Carter, Rickey and Carter, Cindy L. and Hennessy, Winnie and Kurent, Jerome E. and DesHarnais, Susan},
  journal         = {Journal of aging and health},
  title           = {Care at the end of life: focus on communication and race.},
  year            = {2006},
  issn            = {0898-2643},
  month           = dec,
  pages           = {791--813},
  volume          = {18},
  abstract        = {To profile communication and recommendations reported by adults with terminal illness and explore differences by patient and physician characteristics. This pilot was a cross-sectional study sample of 90 patients (39 Caucasian, 51 African American) with advanced heart failure or cancer. Participants completed an in-person, race-matched interview. Participation was high (94%). For example, only 30% reported discussion of advance directives, and 22% reported their physician inquired about spiritual support. Participants with cancer were significantly more likely to be receiving pain and/or symptom management at home, aware of prognosis, and participating in hospice. African American participants who were under the care of African American physicians were less likely to report pain and/or symptom management than other racial matches.Discussion: Although additional research on factors related to communication is important, initiation of patient-centered counseling by all physicians with seriously ill patients is essential.},
  citation-subset = {T},
  completed       = {2006-11-29},
  country         = {United States},
  doi             = {10.1177/0898264306293614},
  issn-linking    = {0898-2643},
  issue           = {6},
  keywords        = {Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Communication; Continental Population Groups; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Terminal Care; United States},
  nlm-id          = {8912686},
  owner           = {HSR},
  pii             = {18/6/791},
  pmid            = {17099134},
  pubmodel        = {Print},
  pubstate        = {ppublish},
  revised         = {2007-12-03},
}

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