Notice of NIMHD's Interest in Research on Disability in Health Disparity Populations

Notice Number: NOT-MD-19-007

Key Dates
Release Date: January 8, 2019

Related Announcements
None

Issued by
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Purpose

The purpose of this Notice is to highlight NIMHD's interest in receiving grant applications related to disability in health disparity populations.

In this Notice, ‘disability’ refers to impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions that result from one or more health conditions (World Health Organization, http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/). Impairments include those related to vision, hearing, movement, attention, learning, memory, problem solving, emotional functioning, communication, and social interactions. Disabilities can be related to conditions present at birth (including genetic disorders or those related to in utero exposures), developmental conditions that emerge in childhood or later in life, injuries, or the sequelae of chronic conditions.

Projects should focus on NIH-designated health disparity populations, which include Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, underserved rural populations, and sexual and gender minorities. Research on disabilities without a primary focus on individuals who belong to these health disparity populations falls outside of NIMHD’s mission and is not a priority for funding.

NIMHD is interested in supporting multi-level, multi-domain research to understand and improve health of individuals with disabilities from health disparity populations (see the NIMHD Research Framework, https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/overview/research-framework.html, for examples of health determinants of interest). Research may address any age group (children, adolescents, adults, older adults). Projects that examine disability across the lifecourse are strongly encouraged.

Topics of interest related to individuals with disabilities from health disparity populations include but are not limited to the following:

  • Identification of health disparities associated with health-related quality of life, morbidity, and mortality between individuals with disabilities from health disparity populations compared to individuals with disabilities from non-health disparity populations.
  • Identification of health disparities associated with quality of life, morbidity, and mortality between individuals from health disparity populations with and without disabilities.
  • The role of intersectionality (i.e., having a disability and belonging to one or more health disparity populations) on health outcomes, including intersectional stigma and discrimination, social affiliation, and self-identity.
  • The role of coping strategies, social and community support, cultural beliefs, and other risk and protective factors on quality of life and health outcomes.
  • The role of place and neighborhood on geographic differences in quality of life, morbidity and mortality for those with disabilities from health disparity populations.
  • Access to and quality of healthcare, including care related to disability-associated conditions as well as primary, specialty, and behavioral health care, including the transition from child to adult healthcare and other service systems.
  • Adaptation and testing of existing health interventions for individuals with disabilities to be feasible, acceptable, and effective with health disparity populations.
  • Adaptation and testing of existing interventions for health disparity populations to be feasible, acceptable, and effective for individuals with disabilities.
  • Comparative effectiveness of existing evidence-based practices and interventions for individuals with disabilities from health disparity populations.
  • Development and testing of novel interventions to promote health or reduce disparities among individuals with disabilities from health disparity populations.

Studies using animal models are not an NIMHD priority for disability-related research.

Possible funding opportunity announcements (FOAs) or their re-issues that can be used include but are not limited to the following:

PAR-18-286, Health Services Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01)

PAR-18-287, Health Services Research on Minority Health and Health Disparities (R21)

PAR-18-288, Surgical Disparities Research (R01)

PAR-18-289, Surgical Disparities Research (R21)

PAR-17-234, Mechanisms and Consequences of Sleep Disparities in the U.S. (R01)

PAR-17-235, Mechanisms and Consequences of Sleep Disparities in the U.S. (R21)

PA-17-041, Addressing the Etiology of Health Disparities and Health Advantages Among Immigrant Populations (R01)

PA-17-042, Addressing the Etiology of Health Disparities and Health Advantages Among Immigrant Populations (R21)

PA-18-284, Addressing Health Disparities through Effective Interventions Among Immigrant Populations (R01)

PA-18-285, Addressing Health Disparities through Effective Interventions Among Immigrant Populations (R21)

PAR-17-484, Collaborative Minority Health and Health Disparities Research with Tribal Epidemiology Centers (R01)

PAR-17-483, Collaborative Minority Health and Health Disparities Research with Tribal Epidemiology Centers (R21)

PAR-17-470, Clinical and Epidemiological Research on Chronic Disease in the Caribbean (R01-Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PAR-18-331, Simulation Modeling and Systems Science to Address Health Disparities (R01)

PAR-18-747, Addressing the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in the U.S. (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

PAR-18-745, Addressing the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic in Minority Health and Health Disparities Research in the U.S. (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)

PAR-19-093, Leveraging Health Information Technology (Health IT) to Address Minority Health and Health Disparities (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

Parent FOAs for Research (R), Career Development (K), and Fellowship (F) awards in which NIMHD participates can also be used (see "Parent Announcements (for Unsolicited or Investigator Initiated Applications)": https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/parent_announcements.htm).

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Jennifer Alvidrez, PhD
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Telephone: 301-594-9567
Email: jennifer.alvidrez@nih.gov