Title: Transdisciplinary Science in the Centers for Population Health and Health Disparities Initiative
1Transdisciplinary Science in the Centers for
Population Health and Health Disparities
Initiative
- AACR The Science of Health Disparities
- February 4, 2009
- Shobha Srinivasan, PhD
- Division of Cancer Control and Population
Sciences - National Cancer Institute
Phone 301.435.6614 Email ss688k_at_nih.gov
2Mission of the CPHHD
- Integrate the biological, genetic, behavioral,
and population sciences to provide novel insights
about health disparities. - Develop innovative new models methods that can
simultaneously account for multiple factors and
multiple levels. - Involve affected communities in addressing these
disparities.
3Centers for Population Health and Health
Disparities
DETROIT
BOSTON
PHILADELPHIA
CHICAGO
WASHINGTON
APPALACHIA
SANTA MONICA
GALVESTON
4Social Conditions and PoliciesCulture, Norms,
Racism, SexismDiscrimination, Public Policies,
Poverty
Fundamental Causes
Institutions Health Care System, Families,
Churches, Community-based organizations,
LegalSystem, Media, Political System
Social/Physical Context Collective Efficacy,
Social Capital,Access to Resources, Social
Cohesion, Segregation, Neighborhood
Disadvantage, Neighborhood Stability
Upstream Factors
Patterns of Social Organization
Cancer/Health Disparities
Social Relationships Social Networks, Social
SupportSocial Influences, Social Engagement
Individual Risk Factors Age, SES, Education,
Obesity, Tobacco Use, Acculturation, Diet, Race
Downstream Factors
Individual Characteristics
Biologic/Genetic PathwaysAllostatic Load,
Metabolic Processes, Physiological Pathways,
Genetic Mechanisms
Biology
Source Warnecke et al., AJPH 2008
5Continuum Ranging from Unidisciplinary to
Cross-Disciplinary Forms of Collaboration
- Unidisciplinary - researchers from a single
discipline work together to address a common
problem - Multidisciplinary - researchers from different
disciplines work independently or sequentially,
each from his or her own disciplinary-specific
perspective, to address a common problem - (Rosenfield, 1992)
6Continuum Ranging from Unidisciplinary to
Cross-Disciplinary Forms of Collaboration
- Interdisciplinary - researchers from different
disciplines work jointly to address a common
problem and although some integration of their
diverse perspectives occurs, participants remain
anchored in their own fields - Transdisciplinary - researchers from different
disciplines work jointly to create a shared
conceptual framework that integrates and moves
beyond discipline-specific theories, concepts,
and approaches, to address a common problem - (Rosenfield, 1992)
7CPHHD Transdisciplinary Research
FrameworkEmerging Cross-Center Themes
Community Engagement
Neighborhood/Community Context
Impact on Patient and Community
Preclinical and Clinical Studies
Biomarker Animal Model Studies
Genotypes, Inflammatory Markers, Cortisol,
Biomarkers of Infection
Screening, Treatment, Etiology Behaviors
Dissemination of Research, Access to Care, Policy
8Typology of Contextual Factors Influencing TD
Scientific Collaboration at Each Level of Analysis
(Stokols, Misra, Hall, Taylor, Moser, 2006)
9Challenges at Multiple Levels
- Individual disciplinary scholars
- Reconcile different work styles, ways of
knowing, tenure tracks - Professional organizations
- Encourage cross-training familiarity with
other perspectives - University administrations
- Recognize reward team efforts
- Funding agencies
- Incorporate the time it takes to build
maintain teams
10Conceptual Model for Evaluating Collaborative
Initiatives
Near Term Markers / Outcomes
Intermediate Markers / Outcomes
Long Term Markers / Outcomes
ANTECEDENTS
HEALTH IMPACTS
COLLABORATIVE READINESS Environmental,
Intrapersonal, Interpersonal Factors
COLLABORATIVE CAPACITY Dynamic Processes and
Near-Term Outcomes
COLLABORATIVE PRODUCTS Scientific, Training,
Policy, and Health Outcomes
PRIOR TO INITIATIVE
YEAR 1
YEAR 3
YEAR 2
YEAR 4
YEAR 5
BEYOND
11Increased Research Interactions
Before CPHHD
After CPHHD
12Challenges/Lessons Learned
- Establish partnership with and provide feedback
(from the start) eg minimize burden on grantees - Balancing the use of objective and subjective
data - Utilizing social science methods with basic
science - Need analyzing trends and do predictive modeling
- Importance of cross-initiative comparisons
- Importance of maintaining support resources for
sustained evaluation activities - Translating results into practical applications
- Results should be well disseminated utilized
13Challenges/Lessons Learned Funding Agencies
- Grant Agencies must adapt to incorporate
transdisciplinary research building teams - Evolution of funding mechanisms leadership
structure/ budget issues adapting current
practices - Data Sharing support and funding
- Challenges with IRB Advisory boards to
understand the wide spectrum of the science - Evaluation Outcome - What you get for the
ROI - Ego Taking time to build a partnership
14AJPM Supplement on the Science of Team Science,
August 2008
15NIH-Supported Centers for Population Health and
Health Disparities (CPHHD) - RFA-CA-09-001
- Partners
- National Cancer InstituteNational Heart, Lung,
and Blood InstituteOffice of Behavioral and
Social Sciences Research - Dates
- Letters of Intent Receipt Date April 29,
2009Application Receipt Date May 29, 2009
http//cancercontrol.cancer.gov/populationhealthce
nters/cphhd/index.html
16Cells to Society Overcoming Health Disparities
http//cancercontrol.cancer.gov/populationhealthce
nters/cphhd/index.html