The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities: Child-centered Research Priorities and Funding Opportunities

• In Event: Federal Agency Poster Session

Abstract

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), one of 27 Institutes and Centers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), propels the mission of leading “scientific research to improve minority health and reduce health disparities” across the life course. NIMHD promotes research on the prevalence and impact of health disparities and disseminates effective interventions to ultimately eradicate them. To achieve this, NIMHD prioritizes and funds diverse research on minoritized populations in a range of scientific areas germane to the SRCD community.

Health disparities are preventable differences in the burden of disease, injury, violence, or opportunities (e.g., educational, environmental, social, etc.) to achieving optimal health that are experienced by disadvantaged, minoritized, and/or underserved populations.1 Even still, years of empirical evidence indicate that the pervasiveness of health disparities, particularly those experienced among children, adolescents, and pregnant persons endure and lead to chronic conditions and diseases in adulthood. For example, pervasive mental health conditions go undertreated among minority youth compared to their White counterparts.2 Hispanic (15.7%) and Black children (18.8%) are more likely to experience food insecurity, impacting overall health outcomes, compared to non-Hispanic White children (6.5%).3 Children from low-income families are more likely to have overall poorer health (4.6% <100% federal poverty line [FPL] vs.1.2% 200% ≤ FPL), higher rates of asthma (10.3% <100% FPL vs. 8.8% 200% ≤ FPL), and live with one or more learning disabilities (13.8% <100% FPL vs. 7.1% 200% or ≤ FPL).4-6 Given these trends, NIMHD supports multilevel research to assuage disparities in multiple areas impacting child and adolescent health and development, to include genetic, biological, epidemiological, clinical, behavioral, translational, community-based participatory research, as well as the study of health services, systems, and workforce development and their relationship with social and environmental justice.

NIMHD is interested in novel research, which applies an intersectional lens to examining and addressing health care and health disparities experienced among minoritized persons of all ages. NIMHD also participates in multiple, cross-cutting initiatives with other institutes and centers. For example, PAR-22-137, Accelerating the Pace of Child Health Research Using Existing Data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, provides an opportunity for researchers to utilize longitudinal data on physical, mental, and neurological health, cognitive functioning, substance use, cultural and environmental factors to examine and understand health disparities among youth from age nine years through early adulthood. PAR-21-358, Risk and Protective Factors of Family Health and Family Level Interventions, supports the study of family health, well-being, and resilience as critically important areas of research to decrease disparities and promote equity. PAR-21-287, The Effectiveness of School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) to Advance Health Equity, supports research which evaluates SBHCs as a clinical and preventative health services delivery mode to address and mitigate the needs of school-aged children of populations with health disparities. Therefore, this collaborative poster presentation will: 1) highlight current NIMHD scientific programs and priorities relevant to SRCD members of all career levels and 2) offer recommendations for relevant NIMHD and trans-NIH funding opportunities and resources.

Authors

• Priscah Mujuru, National Institutes of Health
  Presenting Author

• Deborah E. Linares, National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• Sundania J Wonnum, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General