Project Talk Trial: Engaging Underserved Communities in End-of-life Conversations

The overall project goal of this 3-armed cluster, randomized control trial in underserved, diverse communities is to determine whether playing a serious conversation game called Hello is more effective than other advance care planning (ACP) approaches, or usual care (i.e., simply distributing an advance directive [AD]). The investigators will randomize 75 underserved communities across the US. The primary outcome is completion of a visually verified AD; secondary outcomes include performance of other ACP behaviors.

Many Black/African Americans and Latina/Latino patients are more likely to receive low quality end-of- life medical care than White individuals- in fact, they are 3 times more likely than white Americans to die after a lengthy intensive care unit stay. Advance care planning (ACP)- the process of discussing one's wishes with loved ones and clinicians, and then documenting them in an advance directive (AD)- can help reduce these health inequities by preventing costly/burdensome treatments that are unlikely to reduce suffering or improve quality of life. Though ~60% of Americans engage in ACP, <25% of underserved populations have done so- in large part due to distrust of the healthcare system/clinicians, and reluctance to discuss death and dying.

This study leverages underserved communities' existing, trusted social networks to deploy two community-based ACP interventions and study their mechanisms of action. By identifying which interventions increase engagement in ACP in underserved communities (and why), this project will help improve quality of end-of-life care, reduce unnecessary suffering, and end-of-life healthcare costs which conserves public health resources.