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

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Lack of knowledge about hospice care is a known barrier to its utilization among African Americans.
• Limited data exists on racial disparities in exposure to hospice information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate racial differences in self-reported exposure to hospice information.
• To determine the impact of hospice information exposure on beliefs about hospice care.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 200 community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years).
• Spearman's correlations and multivariate analyses were used to assess relationships between hospice information exposure, beliefs (Hospice Beliefs and Attitudes Scale - HBAS), and demographic/health factors.

Main Results:

• African Americans (n=105) reported significantly less hospice information exposure than whites (n=95).
• 19% of African Americans had never heard of hospice compared to 4% of whites.
• Greater hospice information exposure correlated with more favorable beliefs about hospice care.

Conclusions:

• Significant racial disparities exist in exposure to hospice information, with African Americans reporting lower levels.
• Increased exposure to hospice information is linked to more positive perceptions of hospice care.
• Targeted educational interventions are necessary for older African Americans to improve hospice knowledge and informed end-of-life care decisions.