Project Completion Date: February 2025

Project Contact: Prabhjit Malhi

Dr. Kelli Stajduhar and UVIC researchers uncovered barriers to end-of-life care for vulnerable populations experiencing poverty, homelessness, racialization, or stigma regarding mental illness and substance use. They found lifetime mistreatment and discrimination in healthcare lead to avoidance and distrust of medical professionals, resulting in late diagnoses and ongoing barriers to access.

The Improving Palliative Care for Populations Experiencing Structural Vulnerabilities in Surrey-North Delta Expression of Interest (EOI) project aimed to identify barriers healthcare providers face in delivering palliative care for structurally vulnerable and marginalized populations and assess the barriers these populations face in accessing this care. Ultimately, it sought to enhance the living and dying experiences of marginalized individuals facing life-threatening illnesses.  

The learnings gathered during this project form the foundation of a full Shared Care palliative care project in SND which will focus on enacting solutions to the challenges faced by both healthcare providers and patients who are affected by these issues.