Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-24-207
Deadlines: October 5, 2024 and November 5, 2024
Research Objectives
The objective of this initiative is to develop and test multidisciplinary and multi-level and/or multi-domain interventions that will effectively address liver disease and liver cancer disparities. These disparities reflect disproportionate disease burden and worse outcomes among populations experiencing health disparities. NIMHD-designated populations with health disparities include racial and ethnic minority populations, people with lower socioeconomic status (SES) status, and their intersectionality with living in underserved rural communities, SGM populations and/or people with disabilities (see https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/funding/nimhd-funding/funding-strategy.html.
The focus of this initiative is on improving screening, prevention, treatment, management, and survivorship of liver diseases and liver cancer among populations experiencing disparities. Interventions that target the complex causes or consequences of health disparities and address, identify, and promote protective factors of liver disease and/or liver cancer are encouraged. Interventions that extend beyond modifying individual-level health behavior are needed (i.e., interpersonal, community, societal). The proposed projects are encouraged to measure the multi-level and/or multi-domain SDOH addressed and affected by the intervention. The intervention research under this NOFO should be aimed at improving outcomes directly related to liver disease and/or liver health among populations experiencing disparities. NIMHD has a specific interest in projects that examine the impact of determinants at multiple domains (biological, behavioral, socio-cultural, environmental, physical environment, health system) acting at multiple levels (i.e., individual, interpersonal, community, societal) of socio-ecological influence (see the NIMHD Research Framework, https://www.nimhd.nih.gov/about/overview/research-framework.html.
To advance health equity in this area, applicants are encouraged to conduct tailored interventions in a variety of settings (i.e., clinics, schools, community centers, pharmacies, workplaces, churches, justice settings, fitness centers), disaggregated subpopulations, and include unique considerations of persons belonging to multiple populations experiencing health disparities through an intersectional approach whenever possible. Projects should include U.S. studies of populations experiencing health disparities and are encouraged to include disaggregated subpopulations and consideration of immigration status, generation, and country of origin or heritage. Studies of SGM populations are expected to include unique relevant clinical factors. . Environmental measurements, including personal and intergenerational histories (e.g., geographic region, birthplace), are also encouraged to further elucidate contextual influences of liver disease and/or liver cancer among populations with disparities. Proposed interventions are encouraged to focus beyond increasing awareness and screening alone to include changes in modifiable factors of liver disease and/or liver cancer incidence and progression. Intervention projects addressing co-infections such as with HIV and chronic disease comorbidities (e.g., obesity, diabetes, SUD) are of interest. Multidisciplinary expertise and approaches appropriate to understand and overcome the challenges of developing and conducting multidimensional interventions to address disparities in liver disease and/or liver cancer are strongly encouraged.
For more information, please see the opportunity webpage.