Technical Assistance Background Because it is believed
that current health data are not sufficient for the planning and targeting
of public health programs to meet those most in need, the Disadvantaged
Minority Health Improvement Act of 1990 (P. L. 101-527) authorized the
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) to establish a grants program to improve minority
health statistics. Since the program's inception, NCHS, CDC has played an
active role in the research it supports. NCHS, CDC has provided technical
support, facilitated the networking of minority health researchers, and
facilitated dissemination efforts for both grantees and potential
applicants to the grants program. Workshops NCHS, CDC is committed to facilitating opportunities for researchers in minority health statistics to share their research findings and concerns about current and future research efforts. Annual meetings have been held to discuss ways of improving minority health research and statistics. In addition, NCHS has used its workshops to share information about funding opportunities and help prepare potential applicants for future competitive solicitations. "Setting a Research Agenda: Challenges for the Minority Health Statistics Grants Program" (December 1991): This agenda-setting workshop brought approximately 85 leading experts in minority health and minority health statistics to assist NCHS in determining how to best direct the program's resources. Research priorities were set to address the critical issues affecting current and future efforts to collect and analyze data on racial and ethnic minorities. "The National Center for Health Statistics Minority Health Statistics Grants Program Grantee Workshop" (July 21-23, 1993), Washington, DC: This workshop provided the first opportunity for representatives from all the grants program projects, NCHS project officers, and grants program staff to exchange information about work in progress, future funding, and common research interests and concern. NCHS also utilized this meeting to solicit recommendations from participants on how to improve data access and increase the network of researchers in minority health statistics. Participants, for example, suggested that NCHS collaborate in cooperative agreements by providing technical assistance. "Research Issues to Address Minority Health Data Needs" (March 16-17, 1994), Rockville, Maryland: The purpose of this workshop was to enhance the research proposal skills of approved but unfunded applicants from the FY 1992 competitive solicitation. Representatives from all the grants program projects, experts from the research community, and NCHS staff were brought together to discuss current and evolving methodological approaches, insights into various Federal statistical and administrative data sets, and the potential need for new data in response to health care reform initiatives. Again, participants were also asked to make recommendations on how to improve data access and increase the network of minority health statistics. "Enhancing Research Methodology and Grantsmanship Skills: A Technical Assistance Workshop" (January 18-21, 1995), New Orleans, Louisiana: This workshop prepared potential applicants for the FY 1995 and future grants program solicitations. It included sessions on survey design, special methodological approaches, small area/domain estimation and analysis, geographic information systems, grantsmanship skills, technical writing, and the NCHS, CDC grant review process. Technical Support Project Officers/Technical Advisors. Each grants project has a project officer or technical advisor who is a part of NCHS staff. They and the Grants Coordinator share the responsibility of providing technical support necessary to successfully complete each project. Other Dissemination Efforts The HSRProj database. Information about active grants program grantees is included in the Health Services Research Projects (HSRProj) database. Funded by the National Library of Medicine, this easily accessible database contains information about ongoing health services research projects funded by the federal government and private organizations long before they are published formally. Special sessions at professional meetings. To disseminate research at professional meetings, NCHS has organized several special sessions devoted to the research accomplished through the grants program. These meetings include the NCHS Public Health Conference on Records and Statistics and annual conferences of the American Public Health Association, the American Statistical Association, the American Sociological Association, and the Association for Health Services Research.
This page last reviewed January 11, 2007
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