Spotlight on End-of-Life Care:  A Racial and Ethnic Disparity

Health care disparities are widely documented for minority groups in the U.S., and access to quality hospice and palliative care is no exception. According to recent data, 87% of hospice patients are white. What are some myths about end-of-life care that contribute to and perpetuate this disparity? How can health care professionals, community groups and spiritual leaders align to expand service delivery and engage underserved populations about end-of-life care choices? What further steps can our state and federal government take? Join us for our first episode as three experts from the fields of social work, nursing and theology will tackle these questions and propose grassroots solutions.

Guest Bios

Suzanne Marmo, PhD, LCSW, APHSW-C is Assistant Professor of Social Work at Sacred Heart University. She has over 20 years of medical, oncology and palliative care social work clinical experience. Her research interests include hospice and palliative care social work, interdisciplinary collaboration in health care organizations and social justice and equity in palliative care. 

Brian Stiltner, PhD is Professor of Philosophy, Theology, and Religious Studies at Sacred Heart University. Along with Dr. Marmo and Dr. Lee, he is a member of the university’s Interprofessional Palliative Care Committee. He is also co-director of the university’s Hersher Institute for Applied Ethics and chair of the steering committee of the Connecticut Human Rights Partnership. His teaching and research focus is on bioethics, human rights, and social justice. He is author, most recently, of the book Toward Thriving Communities.

Corinne Lee, PhD, MSN, RN is Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing at Sacred Heart University. Dr. Lee is Co-Chair of the university’s Interprofessional Palliative Care Committee. She has over 30 years of clinical, corporate, and educational nursing experience. Her research interests include health inequity in marginalized populations with a focus on women veterans, and