Dying Poor in the US —Disparities in End-of-Life Care

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has focused attention on stark disparities in the US, with higher rates of infections and deaths among lower-income populations and communities of color. Illness and death rates are not the only sources of health inequity in this country. There are also substantial differences in the care that patients with serious illnesses receive near the end of life that are based on race or socioeconomic status. Although pandemic-related efforts to improve equity rightfully focus on preventing death, in this and numerous other contexts, policy makers and clinicians should also work to eliminate disparities in end-of-life care.
Source: JAMA - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research