TY - JOUR
T1 - Church leaders and parishioners speak out about the role of the church in advance care planning and end-of-life care
AU - Sloan, Danetta Hendricks
AU - Gray, Tamryn F.
AU - Harris, Darriel
AU - Peters, Theodora
AU - Belcher, Anne
AU - Aslakson, Rebecca
AU - Bowie, Janice
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was sponsored by the Johns Hopkins University, Office of the Provost Discovery Award #1603010095 (Principal Investigators Aslakson & Bowie).
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press.
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - African American Church
KW - Disparities in end-of-life care
KW - End-of-life care
KW - Palliative care
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U2 - 10.1017/S1478951520000966
DO - 10.1017/S1478951520000966
M3 - Article
C2 - 33118897
AN - SCOPUS:85095432594
SN - 1478-9515
VL - 19
SP - 322
EP - 328
JO - Palliative and Supportive Care
JF - Palliative and Supportive Care
IS - 3
ER -