title: Accepting transitions: African Americans discuss end of life.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  African Americans typically underuse hospice care; this study explores their end of life attitudes.
  
  
  METHODS
  An iterative focus group strategy generated qualitative data using 4 baseline groups and 1 confirmatory focus group recruited from predominantly African American churches. Each group consisted of 8 to 14 adults. Investigators analyzed data for dominant themes, representatives from baseline groups returned to discuss the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 43 African Americans (male: 8 [18.6]; female: 35 [81.4]) participated in initial discussions, with 10 returning for follow-up. The prevailing theme was transitions; with life to death dominating discourse; other themes included curative to palliative care and acceptance of death as inevitable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among African Americans, outreach efforts may be strengthened by reframing the dying process as the product of many transitions and reaching out to faith-based communities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Work, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA yancuc@wssu.edu.
authors.forename: Cecile N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Yancu
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Work, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Work, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Mara J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.affiliation: Department of Student Affairs, Shaw University, Raleigh, NC, USA.
authors.forename: April
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rhinehardt
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Education, Hospice & Palliative Care Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Dee
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Leahman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology
keywords: African American; attitudes and beliefs; barriers; end of life; misconceptions about hospice; transitions