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. 2017 Oct 9;177(12):1858–1860. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.4793

Table 1. Characteristics of Decedents and Respondents by Racial Group.

Variable Decedents, %a P Value
Black
(n = 281)
White
(n = 825)
Decedent characteristics
Aged >85 y 32.6 42.0 .002
Female 55.8 56.7 .83
Married 34.7 47.7 .001
High school degree or above 44.8 74.3 <.001
Cancer diagnosis 10.5 13.8 .22
Functional decline 48.8 39.2 .05
Geographic location
New England 0.3 5.1 .002
Mid-Atlantic 9.3 14.2
Midwest (east) 14.2 16.1
Midwest (west) 2.7 10.7
South Atlantic 29.2 17.4
Southeast 18.1 6.6
Southwest 16.4 9.7
Mountain 0.6 2.5
Pacific 9.3 17.5
Place of death
Home 31.5 40.0 <.001
Hospital (general medical care) 14.6 12.4
Intensive care unit 20.0 8.6
Nursing home 16.8 16.9
Hospice/palliative care unit 14.5 19.3
Other 2.6 2.9
Hospice in last month of life 31.0 42.3 .05
Respondent relationship
Spouse 20.1 30.3 .009
Child 52.0 53.5 .18
Other family 23.4 8.1 <.001
Other friend 13.2 10.3 .18
a

Data are presented as survey–weight adjusted percentages.