Hospice care for persons with AIDS: findings from a national study

Hospices are in a position to play major roles in the care of terminally ill patients with AIDS. These findings from a national survey of hospices in the United States show that the majority of hospices have cared for at least one PWA. Major factors determining hospice involvement include geographic location and resources. In comparison to other patients in hospice, PWAs are younger, more likely to be male, Black or Hispanic, and covered by Medicaid. The results indicate that hospices are reaching women with AIDS and IVDUs but that minorities continue to be underrepresented in comparison to their distribution among the total AIDS cases in the United States.