As the lead NIH Institute for end-of-life research, NINR supports science to assist individuals, families, and health care professionals in managing the symptoms of life limiting conditions and planning for end-of-life decisions. NINR also recognizes that high-quality, evidence-based palliative care is a critical component of maintaining quality of life at any stage of illness, not just at the end of life. Activities in this area address issues such as: relieving symptoms and suffering; and understanding decision-making by patients, caregivers, and providers.

Symptom science focuses on symptom experiences, rather than diseases and illnesses, with the understanding that many symptoms across ailments are shared. Symptom science is becoming increasingly important as people are living longer but with multiple chronic illnesses. Living with these illnesses includes managing all the symptoms that go with them.

With advances in technologies, nurse scientists are increasingly generating and using large and complex datasets, sometimes called “Big Data,” to promote and improve the health of individuals, families, and communities. In recent years, the National Institutes of Health have placed a great emphasis on enhancing and integrating the data sciences into the health research enterprise. New strategies for collecting and analyzing large data sets will allow us to better understand the biological, genetic, and behavioral underpinnings of health, and to improve the way we prevent and manage illness.

NINR is committed to supporting research on women’s health through a wide range of research initiatives and investigator-initiated research. The Institute’s research portfolio in women’s health spans a range of topics that affect men and women differently, as well as those that solely affect women. The portfolio consists of research and training grants focused on women’s health within NINR’s four areas of scientific focus: symptom science, wellness, self-management of chronic conditions, and end-of-life and palliative care research.