PROJECT NARRATIVE Very little research has been done regarding non-STI-related health disparities affecting sexual and gender minorities (SGM). Even less is known about what these minorities think about the desirability of research that combines genetic variation and data about sexual orientation and gender identity with other health and demographic information, strategies required to understand and address these disparities.
PROJECT NARRATIVE The ability to recruit and protect research participants across multiple sites and multiple states is critical to the success of large-scale precision medicine and other biomedical research supported by the National Institutes of Health and other federal agencies to improve human health. Accomplishing this task requires a clear understanding of which state?s laws apply and under what circumstances, but the empirical and normative foundations for addressing choice of law questions in a research context are lacking.
PROJECT NARRATIVE When Americans interact with everyday technology such as mobile applications and websites, they leave behind digital footprints that can reveal a great deal about individual health. The proposed research will define the emerging ?health-relevant digital footprint? and evaluate consumer preferences around use of information from inside and outside the health care system.
PROJECT NARRATIVE This project will identify ways to demonstrate respect to prospective research participants that incorporate the perspectives of diverse patient populations who have been historically underrepresented in research. Demonstrating respect in a way that is meaningful to patients from diverse backgrounds has the potential to contribute positively to trusting, collaborative investigator-participant partnerships and to increase recruitment and retention in both the short term and the long term.
Prenatal screening and testing technologies using genetic methods are rapidly expanding, offering increasing amounts of genetic information about the fetus. However, research shows that women from underserved populations are less likely to receive or accept prenatal genetic services, leading to discordant birth outcomes. We propose to explore the barriers to access and acceptance of prenatal genetic care among women from underserved populations.
This Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) will prepare the candidate to become an interdisciplinary ELSI researcher with a high-quality, independently funded research program exploring the influence of the genome sciences ? including epigenetics ? on conceptualizations and understandings of health, disease, and individual responsibility. This study examines conceptualizations of epigenetics related to children's psychiatric, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental health and their translation to community settings.
Project Narrative The lack of American Indian and Alaska Native professionals in genomic sciences today highlights the tremendous need for effective training and research programs to prepare the next generation of indigenous students to be successful in their pursuit of careers in genetics research. This program combines didactic and experiential training activities, together with indigenous and community-based models of learning, to engage underrepresented Native students in research on the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics research.
PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This project will explore the ethical, social, and cultural issues of the American Indians in regards to genetic research. Engaging tribal leaders and relevant stakeholders such as scientists, clinicians, and policy makers on issues around genetic research will create a more complete understanding of these challenges and enable them to create policies that may permit greater participation by American Indians and their tribes.