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Health Disparities in End-of-Life Care

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Health Disparities in Respiratory Medicine

Part of the book series: Respiratory Medicine ((RM))

Abstract

High-quality end-of-life care should be available to all individuals faced with a terminal illness. Essential components of quality end-of-life care include excellent communication, creation of a supportive environment for dying patients and their family members, and concerted efforts to address pain and suffering at the end of life. Each of these elements of care must be grounded in the individual patient’s values, goals, preferences, and needs. Importantly, these values, goals, preferences, and needs may vary based on patient characteristics such as gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexuality, or underlying illness. It is important that we identify and respect differences in informed patients’ values and preferences. However, we should strive to eradicate differences based on inequities in the way end-of-life care is discussed or delivered. In this chapter, we examine differences in end-of-life care across these important patient characteristics and identify areas in which differences may represent healthcare disparities.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA

    Ann C. Long M.D., M.S. & J. Randall Curtis M.D., M.P.H.

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  1. Ann C. Long M.D., M.S.
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  2. J. Randall Curtis M.D., M.P.H.
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Correspondence to Ann C. Long M.D., M.S. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Arizona Respiratory Center and Departmen, University of Arizona Arizona Respiratory Center and Departmen, TUCSON, Arizona, USA

    Lynn B. Gerald

  2. Arizona Respiratory Center and Departmen, University of Arizona Arizona Respiratory Center and Departmen, Tucson, Arizona, USA

    Cristine E. Berry

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Long, A.C., Curtis, J.R. (2016). Health Disparities in End-of-Life Care. In: Gerald, L., Berry, C. (eds) Health Disparities in Respiratory Medicine. Respiratory Medicine. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23675-9_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23675-9_15

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Cham

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