Rebecca W. Johnson|L. Kristin Newby|Christopher B. Granger|Wendy A. Cook|Eric D. Peterson|Melvin R. Echols|Wanda Bride|Bradi B. Granger
Differences in Level of Care at the End of Life According to Race
Duke University Health System
tailoring care patients families end life importantto examine factors associated patients choices level care end lifedata demographics level care full code resuscitate withdrawal life support collected 1072 patients died january 1998 june 2006 cardiac care unit logistic regression used identify factors associated level caremedian interquartile range age blacks 64 5074 years whites 70 6278 years time death level care differed significantly blacks whites 418 n 112 blacks versus 267 n 194 whites chose full code p 001 373 n 96 blacks versus 439 n 317 whites chose resuscitate p 03 209 n 54 blacks versus 293 n 210 whites chose withdrawal life support p 005 age sex diagnosis lengths stay intensive care unit hospital controlled blacks likely whites choose full code status time death odds ratio 191 95 confidence interval 263139 p 001blacks 19 times likely others choose full code time death cultural differences acknowledged providing endoflife care