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Project Title:
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Review and Assessment of the National Institutes of Health's Strategic Research Plan to Eliminate Health Disparities
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PIN:
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HSPX-H-03-07-A
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Major Unit:
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Institute of Medicine
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Sub Unit:
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Board on Health Sciences Policy
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RSO:
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Mitchell, Faith
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Subject/Focus Area:
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Project Scope
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Many U.S. population groups - including racial and ethnic minority groups, such
as African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans, American Indians,
Alaska Natives, and Pacific Islanders, as well as some geographic and/or
socioeconomic groups, such as low-income and rural populations - experience a
disproportionately high burden of disease and mortality. These disparities
prompted Congress in 2000 to pass legislation (P.L. 106-525) creating the
National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD), which serves
as a focal point for planning and coordinating of minority health and other
health disparities research. This legislation also mandated that the NCMHD,
working in coordination with the Institutes and Centers (ICs) of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) develop a strategic plan for the reduction and
ultimate elimination of health disparities. This plan represents the major
priorities and range of activities that NIH will undertake to address health
disparities, and as such reflects a guiding vision of how NIH will develop
research priorities and expend resources to improve the health status of
minorities and other health disparity populations.
The strategic plan identifies and defines the NIH's mission and vision
regarding the reduction and ultimate elimination of health disparities, and
identifies three major goals (research, research infrastructure, and public
information and community outreach), as well as specific objectives within each
goal. Programs to support the strategic plan are outlined by each IC, in
coordination with the NCMHD. While the strategic plan was developed in
collaboration with the ICs and with substantial input from the public,
professional and patient advocacy groups, health care organizations, academic
institutions, and the scientific community, the plan has yet to be
independently reviewed to assess how well it addresses research needs of
minority and health disparity populations. For this reason, NCMHD has asked
the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to conduct a study to assess the adequacy of
the NIH health disparities strategic plan.
To conduct this review, the IOM will convene a 15-member study committee,
composed of individuals with expertise in health disparities research, public
health, health services research. The committee will include individuals from
relevant health research disciplines, such as biology, behavioral health,
bioethics, sociology, genetics, medicine, anthropology, and other fields.
Specifically, the study committee will:
- Assess the adequacy of the trans-NIH minority health and health disparities
strategic plan in achieving the NIH's goals and objectives. Specifically, the
committee will evaluate the plan with respect to:
*Research (e.g., how well does the strategic plan advance scientific
understanding of the causes and means to reduce and ultimately eliminate the
disproportionate burden of disease among health disparity groups?)
*Research Infrastructure (e.g., does the plan adequately expand
opportunities and the institutional capacity?such as the environment,
leadership, and commitment to health disparities research?for research on
health disparities?)
*Public Information and Community Outreach (e.g., how adequately does the
plan address needs for dissemination and application of research findings to
reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities?)
-Assess the adequacy of coordination across NIH institutes and centers in
helping to develop and carry out the elements of the strategic plan, and to
avoid duplication of administrative resources among Institutes, Centers, and
Divisions; and,
-Identify means, including potential legislative modifications, to help NIH
achieve its minority health and health disparities strategic plan objectives.
The study is sponsored by the National Center on Minority Health and Health
Disparities (NCMHD) of the National Institutes of Health. The approximate
starting date for the project is 6/01/2004. A Final Report will be issued at
the end of the project in approximately 14 months.
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Project Duration:
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18 months
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Provide FEEDBACK on this project.
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