Ethnicity and attitudes towards life sustaining technology

European-Americans were the least likely to both accept and want life-support (p<0.001). Mexican-Americans were generally more positive about the use of life-support and were more likely to personally want such treatments (p<0.001). Ethnographic interviews revealed that this was due to their belief that life-support would not be suggested if a case was truly hopeless. Compared to European-Americans, Korean-Americans were very positive regarding life-support (RR=6.7, p<0.0001); however, they did not want such technology personally (RR=1.2, p=0.45). Ethnographic interviews revealed that the decision of life support would be made by their family. Compared to European-Americans, African-Americans felt that it was generally acceptable to withhold or withdraw life-support (RR=1.6, p=0.06), but were the most likely to want to be kept alive on life-support (RR=2.1, p=0.002). Ethnographic interviews documented a deep distrust towards the health care system and a fear that health care was based on oneʹs ability to pay.