Visit the:

Center for
Alcohol and
Addiction Studies

Supported by
the National Institutes of Health, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities

The Alaska Native Science Research Partnerships for Health (ANSRPH) was formed as a partnership between UAA's Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies and the Alaska Native Health Board (ANHB), which brought the grant opportunity to the Institute. The grant is being funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIH-NCMHD). UAA is delighted to partner with ANHB on the project, as the goals of the NIH-NCMHD Project EXPORT program fit remarkably well with the mission of UAA and its desire to expand health sciences research and training opportunities.

Understanding Health Disparities*

"Over the last two decades the overall health of the Nation has improved significantly. Yet there continue to be striking disparities in the burden of illness and death experienced by African Americans, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Asians, and Pacific Islanders. The most striking disparities include shorter life expectancy as well as higher rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, infant mortality, birth defects, asthma, diabetes, stroke, sexually transmitted diseases, and mental illness. These disparities are believed to be the result of the complex interaction among biological factors, the environment, and specific health behaviors. Inequalities in income and education also appear to underlie many health disparities in the United States. Disparities in income and education levels are associated with differences in the occurrence of illness and death, including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, elevated blood lead level, and low birth weight."

Overcoming persistent health disparities and promoting health for all Americans rank as our Nation's foremost health challenge. The NIH mission on minority health and health disparities is to support and promote biomedical and behavioral research, research training, research capacity, and research information dissemination, with the goal of improving the health status of minorities and other health disparity populations. The vision of the NIH is a time when all Americans have the opportunity for long, health, and productive lives regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

Within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NCMHD) serves as the focal point for planning and coordinating minority health and other health disparities research. Under P.L. 106-525 (Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Act of 2000), the NCMHD was established by Congress to foster, coordinate, and assess the progress of all NIH-sponsored research activities involving minority health and other health disparities by working in collaboration with NIH's Institutes and Centers and other program offices within the NIH Office of the Director.

*Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. 2002. Strategic Research Plan and Budget to Reduce and Ultimately Eliminate Health Disparities, Volume I: Fiscal Years 2002-2006.