Abstract C002: Racial and geographic variation in knowledge of palliative care among American adults

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Palliative care provides clinical and economic benefits for patients diagnosed with life limiting illness and their family caregivers. The extent to which variation in knowledge of palliative care exits in racial groups and geographic regions within the United States is not known. The aim of the study was to present the up-to-date data on the knowledge penetration of palliative care by racial and geographic regions. Methodology We assessed variations in knowledge of palliative care using the 2018 National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey. We used the Pearson chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression models to assess the association of race and having knowledge of palliative care for each census geographic region. The state-level prevalence of no knowledge of palliative care were plotted in a map. Results The study population included 3194 respondents (weighted sample size: 229,591,005; median age: 58). About 15 % of the study population was Hispanic, 10% non-Hispanic-Black, and 61% non-Hispanic White. About 84% Hispanic respondents, 75% non-Hispanic Blacks and 65% non-Hispanic Whites had no knowledge of palliative care (P <0.001). For Hispanic, the prevalence of no knowledge of palliative care ranged from 48% in East South Central region to 96% in East North Central and West North Central region. For non-Hispanic Blacks, the prevalence of no knowledge of palliative care ranged from 32% in New England region to 97% in West North Central region. For non-Hispanic Whites, the prevalence of no knowledge of palliative care ranged from 44% in New England region to 78% in Mountain region. Both racial group and census geographic regions were statistically significant variables in the multivariable model predicting no knowledge of palliative care. Conclusions In the United States, substantial geographic variations in the knowledge of palliative care exist. The prevalence of responders who had no knowledge of palliative care were greater in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black than non-Hispanic White groups. This finding represents an opportunity for targeted future education to increase the knowledge gap overall and in patients of non-White decent. Citation Format: Kayanna Jacobs, Young Rock Hong, Jiang Bian, Sheri Kittelson, Diana J. Wilkie, Jinhai Huo. Racial and geographic variation in knowledge of palliative care among American adults [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2019 Sep 20-23; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(6 Suppl_2):Abstract nr C002.