Dying to know: a community survey about dying and end-of-life care.

A community survey of Sioux Falls, South Dakota was conducted in 2004 to understand knowledge, attitudes, and preferences about end-of-life (EOL) care and to generate conversations about these topics. Questionnaires were sent to 5,000 randomly selected households, with a return of 1,042 (21%). Most respondents said preparation for EOL is very important, yet far fewer had taken steps to ensure their EOL wishes would be known or met. These disparities are examined, with recommendations for future research and public policy. Bivariate analyses revealed significant differences by age, sex, education, marital status, and religiosity. Community studies are important for baseline understanding, evoking conversation, and setting goals for change. Public education is needed to strengthen understandings of hospice care, and professional education is needed to raise awareness about practitioners' roles in resolving discrepancies between what people want and what they get at end of life.