Medical care
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Hospice terminal care is now used by 10% to 15% of elderly Americans at variable points before their deaths. ⋯ Even after adjustment for certain clinical attributes, individual social factors and local market factors were associated with survival after hospice enrollment. Certain socially disadvantaged groups were enrolled earlier, as were those residing in areas with more medical institutions. The decision to enroll patients in hospice may depend on both nonclinical and clinical factors.