End-of-Life Care for Hispanic Children
Introduction: More than 8,000 Hispanic children die annually in the United States; yet little is known about the end-of-life care utilized. The purpose of this study was to examine the children and family characteristics associated with end-of-life care for Hispanic children. Method: A sample of 370 Hispanic children was created, using the 2009-2010 California Medicaid data. The relationship between child and family characteristics and end-of-life care utilization (i.e., hospice enrollment, emergency room utilization, hospital admissions) was analyzed using multivariate regression. Results: Pediatric hospice accessibility ( p < .05), palliative care policy ( p < .01), congenital anomalies ( p < .01), and cardiovascular conditions ( p < .01) were related to hospice enrollment. Usual source of care ( p < .001), functional status ( p < .001), palliative care policy ( p < .01), and private insurance ( p < .01) were associated with emergency room utilization, while usual source of care ( p < .001), cancer ( p < .001), and disability status ( p < .01) corresponded with hospital admissions. Conclusion: Nursing practices aimed at engaging Hispanic families in their community are critical to end-of-life care utilization for Hispanic children.