Educating Black and African American Populations About Serious Illness Care Options - It's An Act of Love

Key Message: The 25-minute documentary-style video An Act of Love centers the voices of Black, African American, Latino, Hispanic and rural communities as they describe their experiences with the need for, resistance to, and use of hospice and palliative care services in straightforward language through authentic personal stories.

Abstract: An Act of Love: Talking With Your Family About Serious Illness and End of Life is a 25-minute documentary film that centers the lived experiences of people in Black, African American, Hispanic, Latino and rural communities as they navigate the often-misunderstood world of hospice and palliative care. Through deeply personal stories, the documentary confronts the myths, mistrust, and cultural silence that surround end-of-life care. We hear from families, caregivers, spiritual leaders, and healthcare professionals who are reshaping what it means to prepare and die with dignity.
The film is narrated by the nationally-known Grammy-nominated jazz performer Nnenna Freelon.
By focusing on the stories of people in the community, the film contributes to raising health literacy levels in populations that utilize serious illness care and hospice services at much lower rates than their White counterparts.

References: Heitner, Rachael; Rogers, Maggies, MPH; Chambers, Brittany, MPH, MCHES et al. The Experience of Black Patients With Serious Illness in the United States: A Scoping Review. J. Pain Symptom Manag., 2023: 66, e501 - e511.

Hoe D, Zhang M, Enguidanos S. Does race matter in health messaging? Impact of race concordance on palliative care knowledge score. Innov Aging. 2022: 6, 212–3.

Johnson KS. Racial and ethnic disparities in palliative care. J Palliat Med. 2013: 16,1329-34.