Karen Steinhauser

Professor in Population Health Sciences
Karen Steinhauser
Karen Steinhauser

Overview

Dr. Steinhauser's primary interests are end-of-life care, medical sociology and patient-provider relationships. Specifically, she investigates the composition and measurement of the quality of life for patients and their families at the end of life. Dr. Steinhauser is a Health Scientist with the Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, VA Medical Center, Durham; Professor, Department of Population Health Science and Medicine; Senior Fellow with the Duke University Center for Aging; Associate Chief for Research, Duke Palliative Care, and Director, Duke Residency Professional Development Coaching Program. 

Karen E. Steinhauser, PhD is a social scientist dedicated to improving quality of life of patients, families, and providers during serious illness.  She is a Health Scientist with the Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, VA Medical Center, Durham and Professor, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Senior Fellow with the Duke University Center for Aging, and a former VA Career Development Awardee. 

Karen Steinhauser, PhD, is Professor, Departments of Population Health Sciences and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and Senior Fellow with the Duke University Center for Aging and Health Scientist with the Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, VA Medical Center, Durham. Her research is dedicated to improving patient and family psychosocial and spiritual care, in serious illness. She has developed measurement tools to assess patient and family quality of life as well as psychosocial interventions to improve the experience of serious illness for patients and those who care for them. Dr. Steinhauser's research has used qualitative and qualitative methods, observational, trial and implementation research.  Her latest work includes: developing a measure to assess the spiritual needs in palliative care, and addressing clinician resilience in palliative care. She serves as Associate Chief of Research for Duke Palliative Care, Director of the Duke Residency Professional Development Coaching program and Vice Chair of Faculty Development for Population Health Sciences. She has been a long-term member of AAHPM, having served on the research committee and being the 2015 Awardee for Excellence in Scientific Research in Palliative Care. She is the Director of Duke’s Residency Professional Development Coaching Program and Vice Chair for Faculty Development, Department of Population Health Sciences



Area of expertise: Palliative Care, Qualitative Research

Positions

Professor in Population Health Sciences in the School of Medicine

2017 School of Medicine

Professor in Medicine in the School of Medicine

2020 School of Medicine

Member of the Duke Cancer Institute in the School of Medicine

2013 School of Medicine

Education

Ph.D. 1996

1996 Duke University

Publications, Grants & Awards

Offices & Contact

200 Morris Street
Durham, NC
27705
200 Morris Street
Durham, NC
27705