Comparing End-of-Life Care for Older Adults Across Rich Countries
Official title: Comparing End-of-Life Care for Older Adults Across High-Income Countries: Implications for the U.S.
Funded at Harvard Medical School · NIH-11621207 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study compares how end-of-life care is handled for older adults in the US and other high-income countries to identify what might improve care here.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $47,849 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG058878-06A1S6 |
| Project ID | NIH-11621207 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients aged 65 and older with poor-prognosis conditions who access end-of-life care in the U.S. or in the participating high-income countries.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not facing end-of-life care decisions or those outside the studied health systems may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how different health systems care for older adults near the end of life and how treatment choices, resource use, and outcomes vary across five high-income countries. It builds on an established international collaboration that has produced many peer‑reviewed papers and engages with data from multiple health systems to identify differences in care patterns. The goal is to point to practices that could help U.S. patients receive care that aligns better with their values and needs during advanced illness. Participation would involve analyzing existing health data and collaborating with researchers across countries to interpret end-of-life care patterns.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could inform policies and clinical practices to improve the quality and alignment of end-of-life care for older adults in the U.S.
How similar studies have gone: Previous international comparisons have produced multiple high-impact publications and informed policy discussions; this renewal seeks to deepen and broaden those insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard Medical School
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Landon, Bruce E. — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Landon, Bruce E.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.