Date of Conferral
7-10-2024
Date of Award
July 2024
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Social Work
Advisor
Alisha Powell
Abstract
African Americans remain an underrepresented demographic in hospice care because they underutilize the service at disproportionate rates compared to the total population. The research problem addressed African American perceptions of the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem factors that impacted their perceptions and utilization of hospice. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore African American caregivers’ perceptions of environment-related factors that affected their utilization of hospice care. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 African American family caregivers aged 18 and over, with at least 2 years of experience as hospice caregivers. Findings from coding and thematic analysis yielded five themes and three subthemes: (a) early messages with three subthemes (death and dying, did not talk about it, and guilt and resistance), (b) communication by the medical team, (c) attitudes that impact perceptions, (d) cultural messages, and (e) barriers to utilization. Findings confirmed that African American caregivers’ perceptions and utilization of hospice are influenced by environmental factors. Findings may inform new interventions that could enhance hospice accessibility and appeal to the African American community.
Recommended Citation
Lonon, Monica Prescott, "African American Caregivers' Perceptions of Ecological Factors Related to Hospice Utilization" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 16220.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/16220
