Culturally Sensitive Advance Care Planning for African American Advanced Cancer Patients: A Pilot Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Consistent racial disparities in advance care planning (ACP) are documented.
• Few interventions target these disparities, particularly for minority populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a culturally sensitive pilot ACP intervention.
• The intervention was designed for African American patients with cancer within a safety net healthcare system.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-six patients with stage II-IV cancer were randomized to an intervention or usual care group.
• The intervention involved a lay health advisor, video, and facilitated ACP discussions.
• Logistic regression analyzed predictors of intent to discuss ACP.

Main Results:

• The intervention was feasible (89.5% completion) and acceptable (94.1% would recommend).
• Intervention participants showed increased intent to discuss advance directives at 1 and 3 months post-intervention compared to controls.
• No significant differences were noted at 6 months.

Conclusions:

• A culturally sensitive ACP program is feasible and acceptable for African American cancer patients.
• The intervention shows promise in promoting ACP discussions among patients and healthcare teams.