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NIH announces new research program to address disparities in chronic disease prevention
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The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities announced it will be launching the Transdisciplinary Collaborative Centers for Health Disparities Research on Chronic Disease Prevention program.
According to a press release, two centers will share approximately $20 million in funding during a period of 5 years, pending available funds, and focus research efforts on development, implementation and dissemination of community-based, multilevel interventions to combat chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. The release also noted the program was developed as a response to the need for more robust, ecological approaches to address chronic diseases among racial and ethnic minority groups, underserved rural populations and people of less privileged socioeconomic status, along with groups subject to discrimination who have poorer health outcomes often attributed to being socially disadvantaged.
The program will emphasize prevention, early detection and early treatment by encouraging researchers to use a transdisciplinary, collaborative and systems approach to address disparities in chronic disease prevention, according to the release. Regional coalitions of research institutions and partners will work together to develop and disseminate effective health interventions that can be implemented in real-world settings across a broad spectrum of individuals. The release added that community needs will be translated into practice at local clinics, churches and community centers by the research programs.
“Multilevel interventions that take into account complex interactions between individuals and their environments can better address determinants of health and enhance chronic disease prevention and health promotion for local communities,” Eliseo J. Pérez-Stable, MD, director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, said in a press release. “Studies in these centers will add to our knowledge of what works in health disparities populations, thus advancing knowledge towards our nation’s health.”
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