Minorities less likely to plan for end-of-life care

Black and Hispanic adults who are terminally ill are less likely than their white counterparts to have a plan in place for end-of-life care, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among patients with advanced cancer, African-American and Hispanic patients were about one-third less likely to have an advance care plan — documented preferences for end-of-life care, such as a living will or do-not-resuscitate order.

In general, minority patients were less likely than whites to consider themselves terminally ill and were more likely to want intensive treatment to prolong their lives. However, that did not explain their lower rates of advanced care planning, the researchers report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

For now, the reasons for the racial differences are unclear, according to the investigators, led by Dr. Alexander K. Smith of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.

Still, past studies may offer some clues, they add.

Some research, for example, has shown that minority patients tend to have less trust in the health system — which, in theory, could affect their willingness to plan for end-of-life care. It’s also possible, according to Smith’s team, that the way doctors communicate about terminal illness and advanced care planning plays a role.

There is some evidence, the researchers note, that unconscious racial bias influences some doctors’ treatment of patients — but whether bias affects doctors’ communication about end-of-life care is unknown.

Smith and his colleagues based their findings on interviews with 449 cancer patients who were believed to have fewer than six months left to live. They found that 80 percent of white patients had at least discussed end-of-life care with their doctors or had a documented plan in place — through a living will, for example, or by designating a person to make their medical care decisions if they became too ill to do so.

In contrast, this was true of only 47 percent of both black and Hispanic patients.

Minority patients were more likely than whites to say religion was “very important” to them, and to say they would want life-prolonging treatment, even if they were told they had only a few days to live.

However, those differences did not explain the lower rate of advanced care planning, according to Smith’s team. Future studies, they say, should investigate the reasons for the racial disparity.

Reuters

Obama and McCain urge bailout revival

White House contenders Barack Obama and John McCain called on Tuesday for urgent efforts to revive a $700 billion financial bailout, warning of catastrophe for ordinary Americans if Congress fails to act.

So far the Democrat Obama and Republican McCain have had little impact on the debate surrounding the Wall Street rescue, which was torpedoed in the House of Representatives on Monday.

A day after Obama and McCain blamed each other for contributing to the collapse of the legislation, each stressed the need for both parties to work together to try to reach an agreement palatable to some of the 95 Democrats and 133 Republicans who combined to defeat the bailout.

A new poll by the Pew Research Center found weakening public support for the bailout. The September 27-29 survey said Americans only backed the plan by a 45 percent to 38 percent margin.

Both Obama and McCain said they backed lifting the limit on bank deposit insurance from the current maximum of $100,000 to $250,000 as a way to restore confidence and prevent potentially devastating runs on commercial banks.

“I will be talking to leaders and members of Congress later today to offer this idea and urge them to act without delay to pass a rescue plan,” Obama said in an e-mailed statement to reporters while he was in Nevada for campaign events.

McCain, who was campaigning in Iowa, echoed that idea in an interview with CNN and said he had spoken to President George W. Bush by phone.

Illinois Sen. Obama and Arizona Sen. McCain are trying to use the current crisis to project leadership.

Democrats accused McCain of interfering last week when he suspended his campaign and flew to Washington to participate in bailout negotiations that ended in disarray.

OPINION POLLS GIVE EDGE TO OBAMA

Opinion polls show Americans trust Obama more to handle the U.S. economy, helping him jump out to a slight advantage over McCain with election day five weeks away on November 4.

McCain said he suggested some short-term steps to stem the crisis, such as broadening the use of the Treasury’s Exchange Stabilization Fund, a Depression-era fund that was used in the mid-1990s to help Mexico through a financial crisis. The Bush administration is already tapping it to help money market funds.

McCain said it was crucial to build support for the bailout bill by emphasizing that “this is a rescue effort, not just for Wall Street, but for Main Street America.”

Marathon talks among Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Capitol Hill negotiators produced a deal over the weekend for a $700 billion bailout bill that included some provisions sought by lawmakers of both parties that would allow the government to recoup some of the cost of the rescue.

When that deal was announced, Obama and McCain gave only cautious backing to it.

On Tuesday, amid the market turbulence and concerns about a deepening world-wide financial crisis, the presidential contenders stepped up their support for the package and pledged to do what they could to try to get it passed.

Obama said that “continued inaction in the face of the gathering storm in our financial markets would be catastrophic for our economy and our families.”

He also said he believed that a move to try to start over from scratch with a new bill would not succeed and said lawmakers instead should try to find ways to broaden support for the current bill.

Neither candidate announced immediate plans to alter their campaign schedules. Obama was planning a rally later on Tuesday and was then to fly to Wisconsin.

McCain was planning to fly from Iowa to Kansas City, Missouri.

But he did not rule out a change in plans.

“I will put my presidential campaign on the back burner, if necessary, and do anything,” McCain told Fox News. “I’ll do whatever is necessary that I think can be effective.”

Caren Bohan, Reuters

NABJ To Host Annual Conference on Political and Congressional Reporting at Georgetown University Two Weeks after General Election

The National Association of Black Journalists presents the 2008 Watergate Conference on Political and Congressional Reporting: Did Politics Change Media or Did Media Change Politics? The three-day conference will take place Nov. 21-23 at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

“Following a historic primary campaign and general election, the country’s top political reporters, correspondents and columnists will reflect, recruit and network.” says NABJ President Barbara Ciara. “This conference is an excellent opportunity for journalists who are looking to cover the national and political realm.”

This annual conference will take a look at how media has changed the dynamics of national politics; the trends generated in this election season and the impact new voters have on state, congressional and local races. It will also examine the issue of diversity amongst reporters on the campaign trail and its reflection in the coverage of national and local races. The conference, taking place at Georgetown University’s Inter-Cultural Center, will also train up-and-coming journalists on blogging, new media, tech devices, social networks, and how each has changed the way politics are covered.

Last year’s conference at the Watergate headquarters of National Journal Magazine touched on the role of the federal budget, coverage of state and local politics, and a spirited discussion on the opportunities and obstacles of covering an African-American candidate for president.

This year’s conference begins with insightful dialogue with many of the country’s emerging leaders. New York Governor David Paterson, Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick, and U.S. Representative Donna Edwards are among the invited attendees. Invited panelists and presenters include NBC News Washington bureau Chief Mark Whitaker, CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, senior political producer of BET News Pamela Gentry, Baltimore Examiner columnist Gregory Kane, and political analyst and commentator Roland Martin.

“This November, NABJ will provide the last word on the 2008 political season,” says Conference Chair and NABJ Region II Director, Charles Robinson, political correspondent for Maryland Public Television, “you do not want to miss the spirited discussion and engaging topics taking place at Georgetown University.”

Registration for NABJ’s annual conference is available online at www.nabj.org. For program, sponsorship, advertising and recruitment information, contact NABJ program director Ryan Williams at (301) 445-7100 or email rwilliams@nabj.org.

The NABJ Media Institute offers professional development opportunities, technical training, historical documentation, educational programs, conferences, workshops, entrepreneurial guidance as well as Web seminars which consist of quality content and provides resources for students and journalists of color, relating to the industry.

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with over 4,100 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.

African-American pastors rally in support of marriage amendment

JONI B. HANNIGAN & JAMES A. SMITH SR., Florida Baptist Witness

- Filling the pulpit before a backdrop of about 40 Tampa Bay area pastors, a coalition of African-American pastors Sept. 24 announced their support of a state constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage.

Urging support of Amendment 2, the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment, pastor of the host church, Beulah Baptist Institutional, W. James Favorite told reporters he believes the comparison of gay marriage to the fight for equality by black men and women in America is wrong.

A “life-long” member of the National Association of Colored Persons (NAACP), Favorite reacted with surprise when he learned after the news conference the Florida NAACP is opposed to the amendment which puts him and potentially many of its members at odds with the organization.

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Black Florida congressman apologies for Palin comments

Martina Stewart, CNN

- An African-American congressman from Florida is apologizing for his comment that black and Jewish voters should not support Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin because “anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks.”

“I regret the comments I made last Tuesday that were not smart and certainly not relevant to hunters or sportsmen,” Rep. Alcee Hastings said in a statement issued Monday.

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