About

Diversity Work Group

Shirley Wright, Co-Chair; Joanne Calista, Co-Chair

Community Advisory Council member Shirley Wright, Emmanuel Baptist Church; and Joanne Calista, Central MA Area Health Education Center (CMAHEC); Brenda Eze, MD; Dorista Goldsberry, MD; John Goldsberry, MD; Tam Le, Family Health Center; Monica Lowell, UMass Memorial Health Care; Ruth Rodriguez; Miriam Torres; Tuyet Tran, Community Healthlink/Southeast Asian Center; Zayda Vallejo, UMMS

Work Group Formation

Accomplished: The Diversity Work Group was convened in July 2004. After a briefing on prior work of the Partnership, it was agreed that “the goal of the Diversity Work Group will be to build on what the Partnership has already done to ensure respect for the cultural and religious practices of diverse groups in addressing care at the end of life.” Co-chair Shirley Wright attended the Rallying Points Annual Conference of End of Life Coalitions, which included workshops on diversity issues. The Diversity Work Group has defined projects as follows:  

Understand Practices and Beliefs

Accomplished: A plan was developed and a Rallying Points grant received for focus groups for each of the major ethnic groups to learn current practices and beliefs regarding issues relating to end-of-life situations. Issues include how end-of-life decisions are made and attitudes regarding disclosure of diagnosis and prognosis, treatment, access to care, place of death, age of patient and care-giving. Studies have been carried out with African American, Latino, and Vietnamese participants.  Results have been reviewed with the Diversity Work Group and a report provided which has informed translations and editing of the Guide.

Planned: Convene focus groups for other populations in Central MA.

Determine Modifications and Arrange for Translations of A Guide for a Better Ending and Explanatory Materials

Accomplished: Ten thousand Spanish and five thousand Vietnamese editions are complete. Design of an African-American edition is nearly complete. 

Planned: Publish in other languages as needed.

Recommend Outreach Channels for Distributing and Explaining the Guide

Planned: To be developed through the Diversity Work Group and focus group recommendations