title: Relationship among Trust in Physicians, Demographics, and End-of-life Treatment Decisions Made by African American Dementia Caregivers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A pilot study was conducted in an urban African American community to explore the relationship between trust in physicians, demographics and end-of-life treatment decisions made by African American caregivers of family members with dementia: namely, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation and tube feeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional design, standard measures were administered to a convenience sample of 68 African American caregivers of family members with dementia. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore associations among the variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Those with more education exhibited higher (p= 0.035) trust in physicians than less educated individuals. Caregivers who were more trusting of their physicians were more likely to use mechanical ventilation (p= 0.0005) than were less trusting caregivers. Conversely, more trusting caregivers were less likely to use tube feeding (p= 0.022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest relationships exist among trust in physicians, demographics and end-of-life treatment decisions. Thus, health care providers should consider African American caregivers' perceived trust in physicians when counseling about dementia and end-of-life treatment choices.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health Research & Policy, 1747 W. Roosevelt Rd., Suite 476 (M/C 275), Chicago, IL 60608, (DT) 312-355-2328, (F) 312-996-0065.
authors.forename: Yashika J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.affiliation: UIC College of Nursing, Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, 845 S. Damen Ave., #648 NURS (M/C 802), Chicago, IL 60612, (DT) 312-996-0066, (F) 312-996-4979.
authors.forename: Gloria J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Bonner
authors.affiliation: UIC College of Nursing, Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, 845 S. Damen Ave., #610 NURS (M/C 802), Chicago, IL 60612, (DT) 312-413-0148, (F) 312-996-1819.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: UIC College of Nursing, Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, 845 S. Damen Ave., #660 NURS (M/C 802), Chicago, IL 60612, (DT) 312-413-5469, (F) 312-996-1819.
authors.forename: Diana J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wilkie
authors.affiliation: UIC College of Nursing, Department of Biobehavioral Health Science, 845 S. Damen Ave., #606 NURS (M/C 802), Chicago, IL 60612, (DT) 312-996-8445, (F) 312-996-4979.
authors.forename: Carol E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ferrans
authors.affiliation: UIC College of Nursing, Department of Health Systems Science, 845 S. Damen Ave., #108 NURS (M/C 802), Chicago, IL 60612, (DT) 312-996-9168, (F) 312-996-9049.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dancy
keywords: African American; Trust in physicians; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; dementia; mechanical ventilation; tube feeding