Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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Disparities in access to health care extend to end-of-life care. Lack of access to hospice mirrors lack of access to health maintenance and primary care. ⋯ This review focuses on barriers to palliative care and hospice in urban, predominantly low-income communities, including cultural and reimbursement factors and the paucity of hospice providers, outreach projects, and in-patient hospice beds in urban communities. This review will also address some strategies that are being implemented by hospices locally and nationally to overcome demographic barriers to hospice care.