Community-Based Study: - Prioritizing Dignity and Respect in End-of-Life Care for Black Chicagoans

Analysis In the Dignity and Respect study, the conversations in the focus groups and interviews were recorded and written down word-for-word, which is called “transcribing.” After that, several members of the research team looked at the transcripts to find common themes or patterns in the discussions. [...] At the very end when she was so sick they kept taking [her] back and forth to the hospital; they never got a hospice nurse at the house.” • I was actually sitting next to my grandmother, and it was happening [she was dying], and I knew it was happening [but] I didn’t know to call the nurse to call the ambulance. [...] The way they take care of you and the way they take care of the White patients--more of the consideration they give. [...] Then you’re [referencing a Black individual] sitting in the room with your family member and you’re here every day, and…you have to tell a doctor “Can you come in and check this, can you come in and make sure he or she has this and this and this.” They tell you “okay,” [but] then you have to come out of the room and run around and look for them, and you turn around they are in the room with a Whit. [...] Recommendations 14 January 2024 A collaborative project of The HAP Foundation and NORC at the University of Chicago Closing Thoughts In conclusion, the Dignity and Respect research project strongly highlighted to The HAP Foundation that structural racism is a significant issue in the already complex world of palliative and hospice care, whether in the hospital or community settings.