The HEAL Project (Health Equity at the End of Life) is a multi-year, mixed-methods research initiative that examines racial disparities in end-of-life care. The project is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Vanderbilt University, and led by a multidisciplinary team of researchers and community partners.
While medical advances have improved care for many people with serious illness, striking inequalities in the quality of our last days persist. Black Americans are significantly less likely than white Americans to engage in advance care planning, receive timely hospice care, or benefit from coordinated end-of-life services. These gaps reflect a complex history of medical mistrust, systemic racism, and inadequate support for caregivers.
HEAL investigates the structural and institutional drivers of these disparities through three core aims:
- Quantitative analysis of nationally representative survey and Medicare data to document racial differences in advance care planning, hospice utilization, and death quality.
- Qualitative interviews with patients, family caregivers, and healthcare providers to understand how structural racism and system-level barriers shape end-of-life decision-making.
- Community-engaged research to identify and elevate local strategies that promote equity, dignity, and culturally appropriate care at the end of life.
The HEAL Project seeks to inform health policy, clinical practice, and community interventions that advance racial equality in end-of-life care.
You can read more about participating in the HEAL project here: https://healprojectvu.org/