Biomedical Workforce Diversity Programs and Health Disparities Research
NCCIH Statement on Biomedical Workforce Diversity and Health Disparities Research
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is committed to the development of a biomedical research workforce that is representative of the diversity in American society. NCCIH supports the NIH diversity efforts and seeks to promote diversity in all of its training and research programs and to increase the participation of underrepresented groups. The Center recognizes that a diverse biomedical workforce is key to excellent science. It fosters innovation and discovery, improves the quality of research, and increases the likelihood that research outcomes will benefit all of us. NCCIH also supports research on the use of complementary and integrative health practices to reduce health disparities and inequities in high priority areas including pain management, stress reduction, health promotion, health restoration, and disease prevention.
Training and Career Development—Programs to Enhance Workforce Diversity
NCCIH is committed to funding research with diverse populations and promoting a diverse scientific workforce. We support training, career development, and research opportunities directed at minority health and health disparities.
Health Disparities Research Funding Opportunity Announcements
Women and underserved groups, including racial and ethnic minorities, and sexual and gender minorities (SGM), have distinct health needs and often experience disparities in health outcomes. Individuals with low socioeconomic status, or who live in rural communities, also often experience such disparities. NCCIH maintains that women, minorities, rural, low income, SGM, and other populations experiencing health disparities should be included in all relevant research, such that there is sufficient representation of each population to conduct relevant analyses.
News and Events
- Quality of Care, Disparities, and the Healthcare Crisis for Moms and Babies of Color; speaker Elizabeth A. Howell, M.D., M.P.P. (July 20, 2021; 2:00 p.m. ET)
- Structural Racism: The Roots & Relations of Inequality; speaker Gilbert Gee, Ph.D. (July 13, 2021; 10:30 a.m. ET)
- Addressing Structural Racism In and Through Work as an Indigenous Focused Prevention Scientist: How the new generation of scholars is making change (July 16, 2021; 3:00 p.m. ET)
- Approaches to Effective Therapeutic Management of Pain for People With Sickle Cell Disease (July 21-22, 2021)
- STrategies to enRich Inclusion and achieVe Equity (STRIVE) Initiative Workshop Series (July-October, 2021)
- NIH leaders published a commentary in Cell which outlines a framework for how NIH’s recently launched UNITE initiative will work to end structural racism in the biomedical research enterprise. The article details current and future actions being undertaken at NIH to create a more equitable ecosystem across biomedical science.
- Food Insecurity, Neighborhood Food Environment, and Nutrition Health Disparities: State of the Science Workshop (September 21-23, 2021)
Contacts
Training and Career Development Contact
Lanay M. Mudd, Ph.D.
Program Director, Clinical Research in Complementary and Integrative Health Branch
Division of Extramural Research
Phone: 301-594-9346
Email: lanay.mudd@nih.gov
Health Disparities Research Contact
Della White, Ph.D.
Program Director, Clinical Research in Complementary and Integrative Health Branch
Division of Extramural Research
Phone: 301-827-6358
Email: della.white@nih.gov