About the IHS Research Program
Philosophy of the IHS Research Program
Good research discovers important new knowledge and answers questions to pressing
and serious problems. Good research is needed by, useful for, and acceptable
by American Indians and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and people. It should
be conducted in partnership with them.
The Mission of the IHS Research Program is:
- To do and to sustain careful and socially responsible scientific inquiry
in the health sciences involving American Indian/Alaska Native people and communities,
with maximum tribal involvement in and control over that research.
- To optimize community involvement in and control over research, to protect AI/AN volunteers
and communities from excessive risks of research, and to maximize its benefits
to them.
- To increase the capacity of AI/AN communities and individuals to do research
in health sciences important and useful to them.
The Goals of the IHS Research Program are:
- To do, support and solicit research in the health sciences that is community-oriented
and practice-based, and that contributes knowledge useful to raising the health
of AI/AN people to the highest possible level, and to disseminate that knowledge;
helps develop individual AI/AN and tribal capacities to achieve their research
related goals, by technical assistance, consultation, dissemination of research
results, and other means;
- Serves as liaison to, and advocates for needed research beneficial to AI/AN
people and communities with, other Federal agencies, universities, foundations
and other interested entities.
- Reviews all research involving the IHS to ensure adequate tribal involvement,
and to protect all individual human volunteers and the tribal communities involved
in and affected by the research, in order to comply fully with 45 CFR 46, and
maintain continued acceptance by AI/AN communities of needed research.
- Develops, demonstrates, and evaluates new research methods, including patient
outcomes, support of self-governance and 638 contracting, improved clinical operations
and management, and measurement of health status specific for AI/AN populations.
- Helps AI/AN people enter and advance in community-oriented research in the
health sciences as a career.
The Major Functions to Achieve its Mission and Goals are:
Conducts, facilitates, solicits, coordinates, and evaluates community-oriented
practice-based research into health problems of and delivery of care to AI/AN
people and communities, with major focus to improve their health status and their
systems of care.