Consortium Core

财团的核心

CONSORTIUM CORE Interventions that target 3 levels of influence appear well-suited to the study and treatment of chronic diseases, the origins of which are virtually always multifactorial. However, a recent literature review found only 12 published multilevel interventions aimed at reducing health disparities provided enough data to derive a quantitative estimate of the intervention’s effect on health outcomes. Only 6 were randomized, controlled trials; and none focused primarily on blood pressure control. Because implementation is a major obstacle in multilevel trials, the selection of academic and community partners is crucial to the successful implementation of multilevel interventions with underserved groups. The Native-Controlling Hypertension And Risks through Technology (Native-CHART) program will not be limited to the researchers and local partners in our Intervention Projects. Instead, we will build a nationwide network of 7 Satellite Centers that will assist in education, implementation, dissemination, policy, and advocacy initiatives critical to our ultimate success. The Outreach, Engagement, and Dissemination Committee and the Steering Committee, in which NIMHD scientific staff will play key roles, will ensure local, regional, and national community involvement in needs assessment, project planning and design, implementation, and dissemination of results. Our Specific Aims are to: 1) plan, conduct, and evaluate engagement and collaborative activities that expand our network and address the priorities pertaining to hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke and related risk factors among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander people; 2) bring stakeholders more fully into the research process through the Satellite Centers and a communication infrastructure, including annual conferences, to optimize the uptake of effective interventions at local, regional, and national levels; 3) with the Satellite Centers and Methodology Core, conduct annual assessments pertinent to hypertension to determine relevant local, regional, and national needs and priorities; 4) with the Dissemination Core, promote a scientifically rigorous and culturally informed program that acquires, applies, and distributes knowledge for preventing and treating hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and stroke and its risk factors – one that holds promise for improving health equity for our populations of interest; and 5) collaborate with community and governing agencies to implement or strengthen regulations and policies to foster research partnerships between communities and academic institutions and protect the former from harm. This Core will be a focal point for multilevel intervention research on hypertension among American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders.