What matters to older African Americans facing end-of-life decisions? A focus group study

To better understand what matters to African American elders who are faced with issues of death, dying, and end-of-life care, a qualitative study was conducted to elicit their perspective.

Focus groups were convened across the state of Connecticut. A total of 196 individuals participated in the 90-minute interview sessions. Using an interview guide, a trained moderator conducted the racially homogeneous discussion groups. Transcriptions of the group narratives with 22 older African Americans were coded to identify themes. Data were organized and analyzed using NUD-IST 4 and constant comparative method of qualitative data analysis.

Five major themes emerged from the focus group data on older African Americans: (1) spirituality, (2) burden on family, (3) trust, (4) health insurance coverage, and (5) cultural concerns.

Recommendations are made for outreach education, involvement of informal helpers, and a level of acceptability in practice for diverse care needs.