Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T21:19:38.121Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Church leaders and parishioners speak out about the role of the church in advance care planning and end-of-life care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2020

Danetta Hendricks Sloan Open the ORCID record for Danetta Hendricks Sloan [Opens in a new window] ,
Tamryn F. Gray Open the ORCID record for Tamryn F. Gray [Opens in a new window] ,
Darriel Harris ,
Theodora Peters ,
Anne Belcher ,
Rebecca Aslakson  and
Janice Bowie
Danetta Hendricks Sloan*
Affiliation:
Assistant Scientist, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Tamryn F. Gray
Affiliation:
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Darriel Harris
Affiliation:
Graduate Student, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Theodora Peters
Affiliation:
Marketing Outreach Coordinator, Eldercare Plus, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD
Anne Belcher
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Education, Baltimore, MD
Rebecca Aslakson
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Palliative Care Section, Division of Primary Care & Population Health, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
Janice Bowie
Affiliation:
Professor, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
*
Author for correspondence: Danetta Sloan, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N Broadway 904E, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective

Despite the increased focus on improving advance care planning (ACP) in African Americans through community partnerships, little published research focused on the role of the African American church in this effort. This study examines parishioner perceptions and beliefs about the role of the church in ACP and end-of-life care (EOLC).

Method

Qualitative interviews were completed with 25 church members (parishioners n = 15, church leader n = 10). The coding of data entailed a direct content analysis approach incorporating team experts for final themes.

Results

Seven themes emerged: (1) church role on end-of-life, (2) advocacy for health and well-being, (3) health literacy in EOLC, (4) lay health training on ACP and EOLC, (5) church recognized as a trusted source, (6) use of church ministries to sustain programs related to ACP and EOLC, and (7) community resources for EOLC needs.

Significance of results

The church has a central role in the African American Community. These findings suggest that involving African American churches in ACP and EOLC training can have a positive effect on facilitating planning and care during illness, dying, and death for their congregants.

Keywords

African American ChurchDisparities in end-of-life careEnd-of-life carePalliative care
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 19 , Issue 3 , June 2021 , pp. 322 - 328
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Banerjee, AT, Kin, R, Strachan, PH, et al. (2015) Factors facilitating the implementation of church-based heart health promotion programs for older adults: A qualitative study guided by the precede-proceed model. American Journal of Health promotion : AJHP 29(6), 365–373. doi:10.4278/ajhp.130820-QUAL-438CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bonner, GJ, Wang, E, Wilkie, DJ, et al. (2014) Advance care treatment plan (ACT-Plan) for African American family caregivers: A pilot study. Dementia (London) 13(1), 79–95. doi:10.1177/1471301212449408CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Born, W, Greiner, KA, Sylvia, E, et al. (2004) Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about end-of-life care among inner-city African Americans and Latinos. Journal of Palliative Medicine 7(2), 247–256. doi:10.1089/109662104773709369CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bullock, K (2006) Promoting advance directives among African Americans: A faith-based model. Journal of Palliative Medicine 9(1), 183–195. doi:10.1089/jpm.2006.9.183CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bullock, K (2011) The influence of culture on end-of-life decision making. Journal of Social Work in End-of-life & Palliative Care 7(1), 83–98. doi:10.1080/15524256.2011.548048CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bureau, U. C. (2020). Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060 (Current Population Reports, Issue). U. S. C. Bureau.Google Scholar
Campbell, MK, Hudson, MA, Resnicow, K, et al. (2007) Church-based health promotion interventions: Evidence and lessons learned. Annual Review of Public Health 28, 213–234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cone, JH (1984) For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church (Vol. 1). Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books. (1942 By Margaret Walker).Google Scholar
Degenholtz, HB, Arnold, RA, Meisel, A, et al. (2002) Persistence of racial disparities in advance care plan documents among nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 50(2), 378–381.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Detering, KM, Hancock, AD, Reade, MC, et al. (2010) The impact of advance care planning on end of life care in elderly patients: Randomised controlled trial. BMJ 340, c1345. doi:10.1136/bmj.c1345CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ejem, DB, Barrett, N, Rhodes, RL, et al. (2019) Reducing disparities in the quality of palliative care for older African Americans through improved advance care planning: Study design and protocol. Journal of Palliative Medicine 22(S1), 90–100. doi:10.1089/jpm.2019.0146CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elk, R (2016) The first step is recognizing, acknowledging, and respecting the inequity, disrespect, and disregard our African American patients have experienced. Journal of Palliative Medicine 19(2), 124–125. doi:10.1089/jpm.2015.0524CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ferrell, B, Sun, V, Hurria, A, et al. (2015) Interdisciplinary palliative care for patients with lung cancer. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 50(6), 758–767. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2015.07.005CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Garrido, MM, Idler, EL, Leventhal, H, et al. (2013) Pathways from religion to advance care planning: Beliefs about control over length of life and end-of-life values. Gerontologist 53(5), 801–816. doi:10.1093/geront/gns128CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gerst, K and Burr, JA (2008) Planning for end-of-life care: Black-white differences in the completion of advance directives. Research on Aging 30(4), 428–449. doi:10.1177/0164027508316618CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gray, TF, Nolan, MT, Clayman, ML, et al. (2019) The decision partner in healthcare decision-making: A concept analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies 92, 79–89. doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.01.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hendricks Sloan, D, Peters, T, Johnson, KS, et al. (2016) Church-based health promotion focused on advance care planning and end-of-life care at black baptist churches: A cross-sectional survey. Journal of Palliative Medicine 19(2), 190–194. doi:10.1089/jpm.2015.0319CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hogg, MA, Abrams, D, Otten, S, et al. (2004) The social identity perspective: Intergroup relations, self-conception, and small groups. Small Group Research 35(3), 246–276. doi:10.1177/1046496404263424CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hsieh, H-F and Shannon, SE (2005) Three approaches to qualitative content analysis. Qualitative Health Research 15(9), 1277–1288. doi:10.1177/1049732305276687CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Johnson, KS, Kuchibhatla, M and Tulsky, JA (2008) What explains racial differences in the use of advance directives and attitudes toward hospice care? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 56(10), 1953–1958. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2008.01919.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Krause, N and Hayward, RD (2014) Work at church and church-based emotional support among older whites, blacks, and Mexican Americans. Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging 26(1), 22–40. doi:10.1080/15528030.2013.854727CrossRefGoogle Scholar
LaVeist, TA, Isaac, LA and Williams, KP (2009) Mistrust of health care organizations is associated with underutilization of health services. Health Services Research 44(6), 2093–2105. doi:10.1111/j.1475-6773.2009.01017.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lincoln, CE and Mamiya, LH (2005) The Black Church in the African American. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press.Google Scholar
Lum, HD, Sudore, RL and Bekelman, DB (2015) Advance care planning in the elderly. Medical Clinics of North America 99(2), 391–403. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2014.11.010CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McLeroy, KR, Bibeau, D, Steckler, A, et al. (1988) An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Education Quarterly 15(4), 351–377.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meghani, SH and Hinds, PS (2015) Policy brief: The Institute of Medicine report Dying in America: Improving quality and honoring individual preferences near the end of life. Nursing Outlook 63(1), 51–59. doi:10.1016/j.outlook.2014.11.007CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miller-McLemore, BJ (2008) Revisiting the living human web: theological education and the role of clinical pastoral education. The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling : JPCC 62(1-2), 3–18. doi:10.1177/154230500806200102CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mitchell, HH (1990) Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press.Google Scholar
Pargament, KI, Koenig, HG, Tarakeshwar, N, et al. (2004) Religious coping methods as predictors of psychological, physical and spiritual outcomes among medically ill elderly patients: A two-year longitudinal study. Journal of Health Psychology 9(6), 713–730. doi:10.1177/1359105304045366CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reese, DJ, Ahern, RE, Nair, S, et al. (1999) Hospice access and use by African Americans: Addressing cultural and institutional barriers through participatory action research. Social Work 44(6), 549–559. doi:10.1093/sw/44.6.549CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sahgal, NS and Smith, S (2009) A Religious Portrait of African Americans. Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, Issue. P. R. Center. http://www.pewforum.org/2009/01/30/a-religious-portrait-of-african-americans/Google Scholar
Sanders, JJ, Robinson, MT and Block, SD (2016) Factors impacting advance care planning among African Americans: Results of a systematic integrated review. Journal of Palliative Medicine 19(2), 202–227. doi:10.1089/jpm.2015.0325CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sanders, JJ, Curtis, JR and Tulsky, JA (2018) Achieving goal-concordant care: A conceptual model and approach to measuring serious illness communication and its impact. Journal of Palliative Medicine 21(S2), S17–s27. doi:10.1089/jpm.2017.0459CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Singer, PA, Robertson, G and Roy, DJ (1996) Bioethics for clinicians: 6. Advance care planning. CMAJ 155(12), 1689–1692.Google ScholarPubMed
Smith, AK, McCarthy, EP, Paulk, E, et al. (2008) Racial and ethnic differences in advance care planning among patients with cancer: Impact of terminal illness acknowledgment, religiousness, and treatment preferences. Journal of Clinical Oncology 26(25), 4131–4137. doi:10.1200/jco.2007.14.8452CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sudore, RL, Lum, HD, You, JJ, et al. (2017) Defining advance care planning for adults: A consensus definition from a multidisciplinary delphi panel. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 53(5), 821–832.e821. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.12.331CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Taylor, RJ, Chatters, LM and Jackson, JS (2007) Religious and spiritual involvement among older African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and non-Hispanic Whites: Findings from the National Survey of American Life. Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences 62(4), S238–S250. doi:10.1093/geronb/62.4.S238CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Trusts, TPC (2017) How Faith Communities Facilitate Conversations Around End of Life Concerns. Washington, DC: Improving End of Life Care, Issue. T. P. C. Trusts. https://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/assets/2017/09/eol_how_faith_communities_facilitate_conversations_around_end_of_life_concerns.Google Scholar
Waller, A, Sanson-Fisher, R, Ries, N, et al. (2018) Increasing advance personal planning: the need for action at the community level. BMC Public Health 18(1), 5. doi:10.1186/s12889-018-5523-5CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Witt, D, Brawer, R and Plumb, J (2002) Cultural factors in preventive care: African-Americans. Primary Care 29(3), 487–493.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed