National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities-Center

描述（由申请人提供）：总体而言，与白人相比，少数民族的发病率和死亡率明显较高，尽管在过去几十年中，全国的健康状况有所改善。在全国范围内，非洲裔美国人的婴儿死亡率是白人的两倍多。弗吉尼亚州的统计数据反映了国家数据。在弗吉尼亚州的里士满，非裔美国人遭受了不成比例的不良妊娠结局，2000- 2004年婴儿死亡率是白人的2至4倍。为了改善里士满地区非洲裔美国人的妊娠结局，弗吉尼亚联邦大学（VCU）健康差异研究卓越中心（CoEHDR）建议（1）对非洲裔美国人的不良妊娠结局进行研究，（2）激励这一领域的新研究，（3）与社区利益相关者合作，进行社区健康教育干预并评估其影响，（4）促进少数群体参与研究（5）将少数群体学生的研究培训部分纳入社区参与/外联工作。为实现这些目标，人权事务委员会将开展以下活动。CoEHDR将在资助的第一年启动三个完整的研究项目和两个试点项目。全面的研究项目将集中在非裔美国人早产的遗传学，对可能导致早产的牙周炎的免疫反应，以及提高艾滋病毒感染高危孕妇的安全性行为技能。试点项目将涉及增加胎儿接触抗逆转录病毒药物的机会，并描述出生结果和环境压力因素的地理分布。所有的研究将集中在非裔美国人的主题，确定和实施独特的诊断和干预措施，将解决主要的健康差距的目标。作为VCU健康差异中心（CHD）的研究支柱，CoEHDR将利用CHD基础设施来刺激VCU健康差异研究，确定可以专注于这一重要领域的研究人员。此外，CoEHDR将与社区利益攸关方合作，开展和评估社区健康教育干预措施对健康怀孕的影响。CoEHDR还将为差异人口学生提供研究培训机会，他们将与健康教育干预和其他研究项目的调查人员合作。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Overall, minorities suffer a significantly higher burden of morbidity and mortality compared to whites, despite improvement of the nation's health in general over the past few decades. Across the nation, African Americans have an infant mortality rate more than twice the rate for whites. Statistics for Virginia reflect the National data. In Richmond, Virginia, African Americans suffer a disproportionate amount of adverse pregnancy outcomes, with an infant mortality rate ranging from 2 to 4 times the rate for whites from 2000- 2004. In an effort to improve pregnancy outcomes for African Americans in the Richmond area, the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Center of Excellence in Health Disparities Research (CoEHDR) proposes to (1) conduct research on adverse pregnancy outcomes in African Americans, (2) stimulate new research in this area, (3) work with community stakeholders to conduct and evaluate the impact of a community health education intervention, (4) promote participation of minority populations in research (5) incorporate a research training component for minority students into community engagement/outreach efforts. To accomplish these aims, the CoEHDR will engage in the following activities. The CoEHDR will initiate three full research projects and two pilot projects in the first year of funding. Full research projects will focus on the genetics of preterm birth in African Americans, immunological responses to periodontis that may lead to premature birth, and increasing Safer Sex Skills development among pregnant women at high risk for HIV infection. Pilot projects will involve enhancing fetal exposure to antiretroviral medications and describing the geographic distribution of birth outcomes and environmental stressors. All research will focus on African American subjects, with the goals of identifying and implementing unique diagnostic and interventions that will address major health disparities. As the research pillar of VCU's Center on Health Disparities (CHD), the CoEHDR will capitalize on CHD infrastructure to stimulate research in health disparities at VCU, identifying researchers who can focus their efforts in this vital area. In addition, the CoEHDR will work with community stakeholders to conduct and evaluate the impact of a community health education intervention on healthier pregnancies. The CoEHDR will also provide research training opportunities for disparity population students, who will work with investigators on the health education intervention and other research projects.