Strength-Based Health Equity Across the Life Course

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Increasing diversity coupled with a growing concern over persistent health inequities in the U.S. requires nurse scientists to pay closer attention to factors operating at the social/environmental, behavioral/ psychological, and biological levels while harnessing big data and evidence-based practices through an equity lens. In particular, participatory research that builds on strengths and resources within the community is a transformative implementation research paradigm by bridging the gap between science and practice through meaningful stakeholder engagement and social action to promote health equity. This T32 application is requesting 5 years of funding to support a predoctoral research training program that aims to prepare nurse scientists to lead rigorous, innovative research that drives improvements in health equity in disadvantaged populations across the life course. Building on the Commission on Social Determinants of Health framework and population health equity framework, trainees will engage in a series of structured curriculum and mentored research experiences to focus their research skill development in the following four thematic cores: stakeholder engagement methods, biologic and social measurement, data science, and intervention and implementation science. These methodologic advancements are crucial to adequately characterize the nature of inequities in healthcare and to develop more effective and sustainable strategies to promote health equity. We have assembled an exceptional constellation of program faculty and mentors from the Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health who lead interdisciplinary training and health equity research programs that have significantly enhanced our understanding of health inequities and approaches to health equity in disadvantaged populations. Their collective health equity research portfolios provide an impressive variety of resources in a rich interdisciplinary training environment and training opportunities in stakeholder engagement methods, biological and socio-behavioral measurement, data science, and intervention and implementation science. The two-year training program will recruit four nurses at the predoctoral level each year. Training a new generation of interdisciplinary nurse scientists with strong knowledge and skills in stakeholder engagement, measurement, and methodological approaches will further advance our ability to address the complex nature of health inequities experienced by disadvantaged populations in the nation.