Melissa M. Garrido|Shannon Harrington|Holly G. Prigerson
End?of?life treatment preferences: A key to reducing ethnic/racial disparities in advance care planning?
James J. Peters VA Medical Center|Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center|Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai|Dana-Farber Cancer Institute|University of Massachusetts Boston|Cornell University
background objective study identify targets interventions reduce endoflife care disparities among patients advanced cancer authors evaluated degree endoflife care values preferences associated advance care planning within racialethnic minority groups methods coping cancer study recruited patients advanced cancer outpatient clinics 5 states 2002 2008 rates 1 type advance care planningdonotresuscitate dnr ordersreported baseline interviews 606 patients investigated bivariate tests determined associations among dnr order completion religious values treatment preferences within racialethnic groups results nonlatino white patients significantly likely dnr order 45 black 25 latino 20 patients p lt001 preference specific lifeprolonging treatment eg chemotherapy ventilation factor significantly associated higher dnr order likelihood group nonlatino white patients likely latino black patients express preferences lifeprolonging care eg 26 nonlatino white patients 46 black patients 41 latino patients wanted feeding tube would extend life 1 day p lt001 conclusions preferences lifeprolonging care differ dramatically raceethnicity uniform significant association dnr order completion rates across racialethnic groups patients advanced cancer advance care planning interventions target preferences associated dnr orders across racialethnic groups may reach broad patient population reduce endoflife care disparities cancer 201412039813986 2014 american cancer society