Improving end-of-life care for African American communities by training clinicians.
Official title: African American (AA) Communities Speak: Partnering with AAs in the North and South to Train Palliative Care Clinicians to Address Interpersonal and Systemic Racism and Provide Culturally Aligned Care
Funded at University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-10911294 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working to improve end-of-life care for African Americans by training healthcare providers to better understand and communicate with patients and their families about their care preferences, making sure that the support they receive respects their unique cultural backgrounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $659,416 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG078255-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10911294 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are African American adults, particularly those facing serious illnesses and their families.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not identify as African American or those who are not facing serious illnesses may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to enhance the quality of end-of-life care for African Americans by training healthcare providers to understand and address the unique cultural and systemic challenges faced by these communities. It focuses on improving communication between clinicians, patients, and families, particularly in discussing goals of care and respecting patient preferences. The project will adapt an existing training program to better fit the diverse cultural contexts of African Americans living in both urban and rural settings across the North and South. By involving community members in the training process, the research seeks to create a more culturally aligned approach to palliative care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved end-of-life care experiences for African American patients and their families.
How similar studies have gone: Previous efforts to address disparities in end-of-life care for African Americans have shown promise, indicating that culturally tailored approaches can improve patient outcomes.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Elk, Ronit — University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Study coordinator: Elk, Ronit
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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.