THE CARE THAT AFRICAN AMERICANS RECEIVE at the end of life, as well as African Americans' attitudes toward end-of-life care, differ in some ways from the general U.S. population. Clinicians' poor understanding of these differences may lead to ineffectual communication and patient dissatisfaction. This Fast Fact outlines research findings on differences in end-of-life care and values between African Americans and the population as a whole. Note: the differences discussed here represent broad trends and the full spectrum of values and practices within African American communities is diverse and not captured by the following discussion. Clinicians are advised not to make assumptions about individual patients based on population data, and to always explore each patient's values and wishes.
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