Research Projects

Founded on the belief that sound policy must be based on sound data, the Institute responds to emerging needs for information. Each project is designed to contribute to the betterment of elderly care, and each has implications for long-term care policy development. The research interests of the Institute will continue to evolve.

The Institute's completed research projects include:

Minority Elders & Long-Term Care: Use & Access

CT Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care



Institute Research Project:
Minority Elders and Long-Term Care: Use and Access

This study, completed at the end of 2001, was funded by the Connecticut General Assembly and the Patrick & Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation. 

The purpose of the proposed study was two-fold: (1) to describe the rates of use of formal long-term care services by African American and white elders in the state of Connecticut, and (2) to examine differences between African American and white Connecticut elders in their intended use of long-term care services and the factors associated with the intended use of these services.

The findings from this study can have important practical and scientific implications. They have practical benefit by providing information to policy makers and program planners to better understand patterns of long-term care service use in Connecticut, as well as the social, economic, and cultural factors that drive such use. Such an understanding can inform future policy concerning the financing and organization of long-term care services in the state. It is not the intent of the study to judge the appropriateness of long-term care, nor to prescribe whether such care should be provided through formal or informal services. However, these findings may be used to educate the public about long-term care, to address gas in knowledge, and to ensure that both African American and white elders can make informed choices about their future long-term care. The findings will also add to the scientific literature on ethnic group differences in the choices for long-term care of elders.

The study has two components: 

(1) Survey of Long-Term Service Agencies. This component of the study involved a census of clients served by long-term care providers in the state of Connecticut, by age and ethnic group. Long-term care providers include nursing homes, assisted living providers, adult day care centers, and home health agencies. Client data for nursing homes and home health agencies were obtained from existing data bases. Client data by age and ethnic group for adult day care centers and assisted living providers were obtained through a survey. 

(2) Community Survey. This component involved a survey of 150 African American elders and 150 white elders. Names of individuals who meet eligibility criteria for participation in the study were randomly selected from Medicare beneficiary lists. Eligible individuals will be those aged 65 or older living in Hartford, New Haven, or Bridgeport counties at the time of interview, who reported themselves to be African American or white and who had been hospitalized in the preceding year.


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Institute Research Project:
Connecticut Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care

The Connecticut Coalition to Improve End-of-Life Care is a state-wide coalition that seeks to improve care for the dying.

The Coalition is housed in the Institute.

For more information, click here to be linked to the Coalition home page.


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