The Center for Practical Bioethics is honored to be selected as one of the Legacy Project recipients of The John and Wauna Harman Foundation! Their support gives us the opportunity to partner with Dr. Gloria Thomas Anderson, whose research and community engagement work, focuses on improving equitable end-of-life and advance care planning options within African American communities across the country.

According to a recent study on advance directive completion rates, White people were 50% more likely than African Americans to fill out an advance directive. The key differences between the two groups were largely due to the mistrust and discrimination experienced by African Americans, with some influence from demographic factors. This study also found that going to religious activities made both African Americans and Whites more likely to fill out an advance directive (Bazargan, Cobb & Assari, 2021).

Dr. Anderson developed the Let’s Talk About ACP program to help facilitate this critical conversation within faith communities as an effective approach to address healthcare disparities. This initiative serves to empower African Americans in the healthcare decision-making process to ensure their care goals are fully respected and implemented.

The Center is committed to advance care planning education and transforming systems to improve equitable access and care to underserved populations. We are currently developing strategic goals and objectives to address this critical need over the next four years, with the goal of reducing healthcare disparities through new partnership opportunities and expansion of ACP offerings.