Health disparities research at NIH: Towards health equity

In 2009, the gap between racial/ethnic minorities and the majority group in the US remains pronounced in areas such as education, income, housing, health and health care. Health disparities persist despite attempts by public and private organizations to close the gap and millions of dollars spent on programs and initiatives. The goal of eliminating health disparities is high on the government's agenda and many agencies have developed strategic plans with goals, objectives, and activities with allocated budgets. The NIH developed a Strategic Plan with input from its 27 Institutes and Centers. The goals are: 1) research focused on health disparities experienced by racial/ethnic minorities, the rural and urban poor, and other medically underserved populations; 2) conducting population-specific community-based research; 3) enhancing the capacity to conduct health disparities research nationally; 4) recruiting and retaining racial/ethnic minorities and other underrepresented groups into the scientific research workforce; 5) establishing health education programs for special populations; and 6) promoting the inclusion of women, minorities, and other medically underserved groups in clinical trials. The research conducted at NIH advances the understanding of how diseases and disabilities develop and progress in order to identify treatment and cures. Through its Strategic Plan and other initiatives, NIH is translating new knowledge into prevention and treatment strategies to improve public health and to increase the number of scientists from underserved communities. In this session, panelists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Nursing Research, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute on Mental Health will present an overview of current research undertaken by their Institutes, identifying areas where progress has been made, where gaps remain and further funding is need to eliminate health disparities.