There's a public health crisis hiding in plain sight: 90% of Americans say end-of-life conversations are important, yet only 27% have actually had them, according to a study from End Well, a nonprofit “on a mission to transform how we think about, talk about, and plan for the end of life.”

“Death touches every life, yet we've built a culture of silence around it,” the new study states. “This silence has consequences: families unprepared for difficult decisions, loved ones carrying the weight of things left unsaid, and a healthcare system where patients and providers alike struggle to navigate end-of-life care without the language or tools they need.”

However, the researchers note, “popular culture is beginning to tell different stories about dying—and audiences are responding. Shows like ‘Dying for Sex’ and ‘The Pitt’ don't treat mortality as a plot device to be neatly tied up. Instead, they explore the full landscape of end-of-life experience: the medical complexity, the family dynamics, the moments of grace and humor that emerge even in our most difficult chapters.”

The authors found that television is succeeding where the medical system has failed. The study, conducted with University of Southern California's Norman Lear Center, examined what happened after people watched end-of-life storylines from “A Million Little Things” and “The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.” The research showed that:

• Viewers were significantly more likely to initiate end-of-life conversations with loved ones after watching these shows.
• Concrete actions such as drafting advance directives, sharing document locations, and  discussing care preferences increased.
• Three elements drove the impact: authentic portrayals that didn't sanitize death, strategic use of humor, and collaboration with medical experts.

In addition to a detailed look at the research and key insights, the study, published as a white paper, includes strategies for media creators, healthcare and policy leaders, and families – plus, a checklist to gauge how well an organization supports end-of-life conversations.

To  download End Well’s white paper, “Changing the Channel on Death: How television can lead the end-of-life revolution,” click here