Increasing Aging Research by Social Work Faculty

描述（由申请人提供）：此续期申请寻求NIA的部分支持，为15名社会工作教员提供研究培训计划。哈特福德基金会通过与美国老年学学会的联络，批准了7万美元的承诺，以补充所要求的支持。该计划是一个非常成功的研究培训计划的更新和增强版本，致力于扩大从事老龄化研究的社会工作教师的数量。反过来，这将重振参与者的教学；准备他们更新课程中与老龄化有关的内容，特别强调文化多样性和方法问题；并提高他们的能力，以激励新一代的社会工作学生追求老龄化的研究。具体目标包括：(1)提高社会工作教师的知识、技能和从事积极的老龄化研究项目的动机；(2)为参与者提供与高级研究人员密切互动的机会，并促进当前和以前参与者之间网络关系的发展；(3)提高参与者对NIH资助支持的认识，以及如何开发和提交强有力的申请。这一培训模式的成功体现在以下事实上：2004年至2009年期间参加该项目的人中，56%以上的人已经获得了研究资金，70%以上的人获得了老年人研究的机构资金。所有拟议的活动都将涉及与美国老年学学会，

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This renewal application seeks partial support from NIA to offer a research training program for 15 social work faculty. The requested support will be supplemented by a $70,000 commitment that has been approved by the Hartford Foundation through a liaison with the Gerontological Society of America. The proposed program is an updated and enhanced version of a highly successful research training program dedicated to expanding the pool of social work faculty engaged in aging research. This, in turn, will reinvigorate participants' teaching; prepare them to update aging-related content in the curriculum, with special emphasis on cultural diversity and methodological issues; and enhance their ability to motivate new generations of social work students to pursue the study of aging. Specific aims include: (1) To increase social work faculty's knowledge, skills, and motivation for pursuing an active program of aging research; (2) To provide participants an opportunity to interact intensively with senior investigators and to promote the development of networking relationships among current and prior participants; and (3) To increase participants' awareness of grant support available from NIH and how to develop and submit strong applications. The success of this training model is documented by the fact that more than 56 percent of those who participated in the program between 2004 and 2009 have already secured research funding and more than 70 percent have obtained institutional funds for aging research. All of the proposed activities will involve continuing strong collaboration with the Gerontological Society of America, John A. Hartford Foundation, Society for Social Work and Research, Council for Social Work Education, The Hartford Geriatric Enrichment Program, and the National Association of Social Workers. Institute topics and instructors include: Research Design, Measurement, and Analysis (Jan Greenberg), Evaluation of Interventions (Susan Hughes), Caregiving and Disabilities (Marsha Seltzer), Ethnicity and Aging (Keith Whitfield), Preparing Grant Applications (Chandra Mehrotra), and NIA Support Available for Aging Research (NIA staff). Given the program's success in achieving 40 percent minority participation to date, recruitment efforts will continue t focus on attracting participants from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds and those with disabilities. Quantitative and qualitative program evaluation will be conducted to monitor implementation of proposed activities and to assess their effectiveness in achieving the intended outcomes. Program faculty and participants will disseminate NIA-supported activities via conference presentations, publications, and websites. In the spirit of translational research, the focus will be on sharing research findings and their implications with health and social service professionals who work with older adults and their families. This, in turn, will enhance the health status of older adults, especially those from underserved populations.