The Impact of Faith Beliefs on Perceptions of End-of-Life Care and Decision Making among African American Church Members

Abstract

Background:

African Americans underuse palliative care and hospice services because of a combination of factors including faith beliefs. As the spiritual family for many African Americans, the church presents an opportunity to improve communication about palliative care and hospice and end-of-life (EOL) decision making.

Objectives:

We conducted a focus group study to understand the cultural and spiritual perspectives that influence decisions about palliative care and hospice among African American church members who visit and support persons with life-limiting illnesses. Our specific aims were to elicit their perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes about: (1) the relation between faith beliefs and EOL care; (2) emotional and family influences on EOL decision making; (3) palliative care and hospice resources; and (4) opportunities to improve communication among lay persons and health professionals and within families.

Design:

Seven focus groups using purposeful sampling.

Settings/Subjects:

We partnered with two African American churches. Of 51 persons, 27 were deacons or deaconesses, 17 were members of health or bereavement ministries, and 7 were other members of the congregations.

Results:

We found that faith beliefs of African Americans can support discussions about palliative care and hospice. Participants perceived that many of their congregants harbor beliefs, perceptions, and feelings about death and dying that were often not communicated to family members or to health providers.

Conclusions:

Among African Americans, faith beliefs, emotional issues, family dynamics, and insufficient knowledge of palliative care and hospice are intertwined and influence decision making about palliative care and hospice. Our findings confirm the influence of faith beliefs of African Americans on decisions about palliative care and hospice and demonstrate the opportunity to improve communication about palliative care and hospice and EOL through collaborations with the African American church.

Introduction

Despite the documented desire among African American patients with life-limiting illnesses or of their family members to minimize pain and suffering, African Americans underuse palliative care and hospice services.^1,2 Although African Americans represent 13% of the U.S. population, in 2011 only 8.5% of hospice enrollees were African American.³ In a 2010 study of a national sample of 220,000 Medicare patients, the non-white patients, most of whom were African American, were 20% less likely to enroll in hospice than their white counterparts.⁴ For minorities who enrolled in hospice, the same study showed that non-white patients were more likely to have an intensive care unit stay (16.9% versus 13.3%), and to disenroll from hospice (11.6% versus 7.2%). Because of this disproportionately low rate of participation of African Americans in palliative care and hospice, many African Americans who are eligible for end-of-life (EOL) care are deprived of the benefits associated with palliative care and hospice services.^5–7

Improved communication within families and between families and health professionals about EOL decisions and expectations of care is necessary for African Americans to make informed choices about palliative care and hospice.^8–11 A recent study of persons with metastatic lung and colorectal cancer who had chosen chemotherapy and who had discussed chemotherapy with a physician revealed African Americans were 2.93 as likely as whites to have the inaccurate belief that chemotherapy was “very likely to lead to cure.”¹² Spiritual and cultural beliefs, distrust of health systems and health professionals as an outgrowth of historical events and social patterns, and insufficient knowledge about palliative care and hospice resources contribute to ineffective communication about EOL care.^13–16 Therefore, efforts to improve communication must consider each of these factors.

African American churches present an opportunity to engage the African American population in a dialogue about palliative care and hospice services.^17–20 Compared with other racial and ethnic groups, African Americans are among the most religious.^21–24 These faith beliefs may contribute to statements that portray palliative care as the antithesis of having faith—“Only the Lord knows when I am going to die”—revealing the need to involve the church as a venue to educate African American patients and families about palliative care and hospice and ensure them that palliative care and hospice care can align with their religious beliefs.^25,26 Yet, few studies have involved the African American church in research designed to improve communication about EOL care and decision making.^27–29 The studies that have involved the African American church have not targeted the persons within traditional African American church structures who most often visit persons with life-limiting illnesses.

In a multiyear participatory research project, we have engaged the leadership and congregants of African American churches in Philadelphia with the goal of developing a comprehensive, church-based education and support program that will improve communication about palliative care and hospice among African American patients, their family members, and health professionals. We found that members of church ministries (e.g., deacons, health or bereavement ministries) commonly visit persons with life-limiting illnesses on behalf of the church. However, these persons often are unprepared to bridge the communication gaps about EOL care. For example, they are not prepared to help persons understand the distinction between goals of care and processes of care, distinctions critical to EOL decision making. Nor do they understand the meaning of interventions such as artificial feeding and cardiopulmonary resuscitation that are frequently considered at the end of life. Last, they often have limited knowledge of palliative care and hospice services. Prior to designing an intervention targeting those who make visits, we recognized the need to assess their attitudes and perceptions about EOL care. We conducted a focus group study to ascertain the spiritual and other perspectives that influence choices and preferences for palliative care and hospice among African American church members who commonly visit and support persons at the EOL. Our specific aims were to elicit their perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes about: (1) the relation between faith beliefs and EOL care, (2) emotional and family influences on EOL decision-making, (3) palliative care and hospice resources and services, and (4) opportunities to improve communication among lay persons and health professionals and within families.

Methods

Participants and recruitment procedures

After a dialogue about palliative care and hospice with the pastors of several African American churches in Philadelphia, we partnered with two African American churches to conduct this phase of our research because of their interest in improving access to information about palliative care and hospice services for their congregants and their interest in participating in research about palliative care and hospice. Each church identified a representative to join the research team and to assist with identifying and recruiting focus group participants. We targeted members of the churches' health- and bereavement-related ministries and deacons and deaconesses, who routinely visit and support persons with life-limiting illnesses. Pastors of the churches endorsed the project but were excluded from the focus groups because of their potential influence on the views of other participants.

The 7 focus groups comprised 51 persons who frequently made visits to persons with (life-limiting illnesses). Of this group, 27 persons were deacons or deaconesses, 17 were members of health or bereavement ministries, and the other 7 were members of the general congregation. Participants ranged in age from 45 to 80 years of age and 32 were women.

Development of focus group guide and focus group procedures

Members of the university staff and the church representatives developed a focus group guide. Topics and questions were informed by literature review, the views of the church representatives, and the research team's experiences with palliative care and hospice and community-based research. The focus group opened with a statement that “Our goal is to find out what would help you communicate more effectively with people in your congregation who are making end-of-life decisions because of illnesses.” We referred to the end of life rather than alternative expressions such as “serious illness” so that participants would convey their thoughts and feelings about death and dying. We used open-ended questions such as “What would you say are the major concerns of persons and their families as they face the end of life?” Other key questions are shown in the Results section.

We conducted three focus groups at one church and four at the other. Focus groups were conducted onsite at each church, and each group lasted approximately 90 minutes. All focus groups were moderated by a trained facilitator. One member of the research team took notes to capture broad themes. Another member of the team served as an observer to describe and record group dynamics and to note which questions and topics generated the most active discussions or caused discomfort. All groups were audio-recorded and transcribed; participants were informed of the recording and provided written informed consent. The study was reviewed and approved by the University of Pennsylvania Institutional Review Board. Focus group participants received a $25.00 gift card.

Data analysis

Three members of the research team analyzed the focus group transcripts. First, members of the team read each transcript and then met to develop major coding categories (domains) and subcategories (components of each domain). Domains and subcategories were defined, revised, and refined through a series of consensus meetings. Themes and patterns were identified within each domain, and illustrative quotes were selected to represent and capture each major theme related to the study aims.

Results

Participants voiced a consensus that patients, caregivers, and family members of their churches need more knowledge about EOL care and that congregants harbor beliefs, perceptions, and feelings about death and dying that were often not communicated to their family members or to health care providers. Findings were grouped in five categories: (1) influence of faith on EOL decision making, (2) emotional burden, (3) family dynamics, (4) facts and myths about palliative care and hospice, and (5) communicating with health care professionals.

Influence of faith on EOL decision making

The participants were asked two questions about the role that faith has or can have when persons are facing death: (1) How have you found that persons with strong faith beliefs view death from illnesses? and (2) How does having faith help persons cope with death and dying? Participants said that having faith provides peace, calmness, acceptance, less fear of death, strength, endurance of the ups or downs of the illness, and less suffering. Participants described three aspects of faith: trust in the power of God, recognition that death is the beginning of a new life, and belief in a better life after death.

No matter what it is, God is going to take care of me.

Death is the end of the physical life and the beginning of spiritual life.

When it was time for her to go, she said to me, I am going home to be with Jesus. Do not worry about me at all. I am ready.

Emotional burden

Participants identified many emotional responses experienced by both the patient and family: denial, anger, fear, grief, guilt, loneliness, loss of control, fear of loss, and fear of talking about and planning for EOL care. An exemplary statement by one person was, “feeling drenched in other people's emotions.” Another feared the loneliness and loss of: “the break in the family chain.”

Family dynamics

Participants were asked “How can communication about EOL be improved within families?” Participants acknowledged that long-standing family dynamics influence EOL decisions. Conflicts ranged from denial of the pending deaths by the patient, the family, or both; different views over decision-making authority; and potentially conflicting faith beliefs (e.g., Christian parent of an adult child of Islam faith). Two participants stated:

In my family…they just cannot make decisions.

And the last thing that resonated with me from my father was I know it was very important to him that his family be together, but we were not all at the same place.

Participants recognized that when family members are at odds, the dignity of the patient can be overlooked. One participant said:

A lot of folks—the family member wants to have their dignity and the family may want this and this and the dignity piece is often overlooked.

Facts and myths about palliative care and hospice

We asked participants questions to elicit information about their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of palliative care and hospice and hospice: What do you think of when you hear the terms “palliative care” and “hospice care?” Many participants were unfamiliar with the term “palliative care,” although they referred to a desire of patients, caregivers, and family members for comfort and support as important EOL goals. Some persons were either unsure what hospice meant or knew other persons who were unsure. Several positive attributes ascribed to hospice were: (1) offers a chance to say good-bye, (2) assists patient and family with closure, (3) provides the comfort, support, and care the patient needs, (4) brings joy if enrolled in “the right hospice program,” (5) provides support to family, and (6) restores dignity, especially if offered in the home. One participant stated that experience with hospice was likely to induce positive feelings.

I know if they have the right hospice program, it is a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful way to end life…it so much less painful because they [hospice personnel] are truly there…

Participants expressed the need for factual information about hospice services and how to access those services before seeing hospice as a viable option. As one person said:

When hospice came in to talk to me about you know letting them take care of him, I had no idea what hospice was. I put my guards up. But once the hospice people came and talked (to) me and explained to me, I trusted them.

For other participants, particularly those with no exposure to hospice services, hospice meant “no hope…”, “You're on your death bed; you're on your way out.” They expressed negative feelings or reported that they knew people who felt negatively about hospice:

When I hear somebody is in hospice, it is almost like somebody just slapped me in the face. It is always a shot no matter who it is, no matter.

Communication with health professionals

We asked: “How can communication between health care professionals and persons with life-limiting illnesses or their families be improved?” Participants perceived that many of their fellow congregants harbor beliefs, perceptions, and feelings about death and dying that were often not communicated to family members or to health care providers. A majority of the participants responded that communications with health care professionals were unsatisfactory.

One person lamented the brevity of discussions, saying that the time with the health care professional “was often limited to 15 minutes.” Participants want health professionals to use terms that they can understand and they want “not to be ignored or feel ignored when being given information about their condition.”

Discussion

We conducted a focus group study of members of African American churches who visit and support their fellow congregants with life-limiting illnesses on behalf of the church. Our goal was to determine their perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes about the relationship between faith beliefs and EOL care; emotional and family influences on EOL decision making; palliative care and hospice resources and services; and opportunities to improve communication among lay persons and health professionals and within families. We found that faith beliefs, emotional issues and family dynamics, and insufficient knowledge of palliative care and hospice are intertwined. Our findings confirm the influence of faith beliefs on decisions about palliative care and hospice. We found that faith beliefs can support discussions about palliative care and hospice. However, we also found significant emotional distress (sometimes couched in spiritual terms) regarding acceptance of death. Health care providers should not be surprised when the same person views death as a transition to a better life and as something to be avoided by obtaining medical interventions. We found that for many African Americans, “palliative care” is an unfamiliar and confusing term. On the other hand, persons held strong beliefs about hospice, whether or not those beliefs were accurate. Supportive views about hospice were often expressed by persons with prior experience with hospice. Participants expressed uncertainty as to how to approach health care providers and what questions to ask. These views confirm the need to improve communication about palliative care and hospice and EOL decision making and an opportunity to use the African American church as a venue to attain this goal.

Our findings are consistent with other studies that reveal the challenges of communicating with African Americans about EOL care. These studies demonstrate the complex interplay of historical and social experiences, faith beliefs, and lack of information that shape patients' views and preferences about EOL care.³⁰ The studies reveal a lower likelihood of preparing living wills, less knowledge about palliative care and hospice and advance directives, lack of trust in health care systems, and a significant influence of spirituality and faith beliefs on end of life decision making.^{10,11,29,31,32} A study of the influence of culture on communication among persons near the end of life because of cancer showed that African Americans often requested spiritual-focused information and desired to have a spiritual leader participate in EOL decision making.¹⁰ In another study, some African Americans viewed pain and suffering as a spiritual obligation, a view that might dissuade the use of palliative care and hospice services.³³ In contrast, our findings suggest that professionals can embrace the faith beliefs of their African American patients as an asset rather than a barrier.

African American churches have participated in studies about EOL decision making and care, particularly in efforts to recruit research participants.³⁴ Several studies examined the views and attitudes of church members about advance directives, palliative care, or hospice.²⁹ In response to questions about advance directives, 75% of the focus group participants in 12 churches in rural North Carolina rejected the offer to complete an advance directive, largely because of spiritual beliefs.²⁵ A survey of members of 11 churches in North Carolina found that most participants thought advance directives were not needed and also demonstrated a general lack of knowledge of the benefits provided by hospice.³⁵ Similar to our study, the church survey emphasized the significance of the family in making EOL decisions. Last, a few studies have queried pastors and found them to be receptive to increasing their knowledge and that of their congregants about opportunties to improve EOL care.^27,36

African Americans recruited through churches have served as lay or peer advisors for persons who were characterized as having serious illnesses.²⁸ In this study, lay persons, many of them from the church community, working alone as visitors, expressed discomfort and a lack of preparedness to assume roles as health visitors for persons at the end of life. This study found a support team model of visitations more effective. Support team members most often provided practical (e.g., meals and errands), emotional (shared time and visits), and spiritual (praying) support. However, they did not undertake the challenges of bridging the communication gaps about EOL care and rarely provided information about palliative care. We conclude that new models are required to prepare African American church members to assist their fellow church members overcome the communication challenges about palliative care and hospice and that the church provides a venue to increase awareness and knowledge.

We note two significant limitations of our study. First, all of our focus group participants were Baptists. Members of other denominations may have different views based on church doctrine or have different structures to support persons with life-limiting illnesses. We note that the Baptist faith is the dominant faith among African Americans with 45% of African Americans considering themselves Baptist.³⁷ Second, we did not involve pastors and ministers in our focus groups because of concern that they would influence the views of the other participants. We note that most visits to persons with life-limiting illnesses are conducted by church members other than pastors, such as the persons enrolled in this study. Neverthless, more EOL research should target the African American ministers and pastors because of their role in establishing chuch policies and their significance to congregants.

The Initiative to Improve Palliative and End of Life Care in the African American Community, an interdisciplinary work group of African American scholars and professionals, voiced the need for new care delivery models and education of health professionals and lay persons in the care of African Americans at the end of life.³³ Our findings from church members and ministries charged with visiting African Americans with life-limiting illnesses add insights necessary to develop and evaluate new church based models of care sensitive to the beliefs and attitudes of African Americans. Our findings suggest several directions for future research: (1) testing alternative approaches to affirming faith beliefs while accepting palliative care and hospice as an option for care, (2) testing the impact of framing palliative care and hospice as part of good care along the spectrum of illness severity and pointing out that hospice care may have a survival benefit for persons who are at the EOL, (3) encompassing prior experiences of church members who have had a favorable experience with hospice as a means of focusing on selecting the right hospice rather than focusing on hospice care versus non-hospice care; and (4) can churches be aligned with hospice programs that are viewed favorably by church members? Although the vehicle, or to use the language of community based participatory research, the “unit of identity,” for our research is the church, lessons learned from working within the church structure are applicable to communications with African Americans about EOL decision making, irrespective of their church affiliations. For example, the meaning of comfort vs. suffering, when considering intensive treatments at the end of life, has faith based connotations that can be explored in many settings. This body of research will enrich our understanding of the influence of faith beliefs on EOL decision making among African Americans and position health professionals to bridge the current communications gap about palliative care and hospice services.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

The work underlying this article could not have been conducted without the support of the First African Baptist Church and The Pinn Memorial Baptist Church.

Author Disclosure Statement

No competing financial interests exist.

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