Hospice Use Among African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and Whites: Implications for Practice
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2012
Keywords
hospice, utilization, race/ethnicity, disparities, end of life, aging
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1177/1049909111410559
Abstract
Objective: This study examined the characteristics of individuals in hospice care by racial/ethnic groups. Methods: A total of 22,936 patients served by a hospice in Central Florida during a four-year period, from 2002 to 2006, were included. Of these, 80.6% were White, 9.6% were Black/African-American, 9.3% were Hispanic and 0.5% were Asian American/Pacific Islander. We examined the associations between the characteristics of hospice users and race/ethnicity, and change of hospice user characteristics over time using chi-square and ANOVA tests. Results: More females than males were represented. Spouse caregivers were most common for Whites (35%) and Asian/Pacific Islanders (36%). However, “other” (41%) caregivers were most frequent for African Americans and daughters (33%) were most often caregivers for Hispanics. Cancer was the primary diagnosis across the four groups. Racial/ethnic minorities were more likely to rely on Medicaid than Whites (10-70% vs. 4%) and African Americans were most likely to be transferred from hospital (57%), whereas Whites were referred from assisted living/nursing homes more frequently than others(16% vs. 7-10%). Conclusion: As the hospice settings become more racially/ethnically diverse, it is essential to attend to the different circumstances and needs of the various groups in providing optimal care.
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, v. 29, issue 2, p. 116-121
Scholar Commons Citation
Carrion, Iraida V.; Park, Nan S.; and Lee, Beom S., "Hospice Use Among African Americans, Asians, Hispanics, and Whites: Implications for Practice" (2012). Mental Health Law & Policy Faculty Publications. 9.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/mhlp_facpub/9
