The long-term objective of this program is to increase the capacity of Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) and its faculty to conduct rigorous mental health research by providing the necessary infrastructure, education, training and mentors. After decades of multidisciplinary research which has led to significant advances in the etiology, recognition and treatment of mental health disorders in the majority population, there is a paucity of information about important differences among genetically and culturally diverse populations which impacts the overall outcome of therapy for the individual and society.
The specific aims of this proposal are to: construct an integrative mental health care research paradigm at MSM that will enable us to access the primary care African American population for rigorous clinical trials, test realistic treatment paradigms, and improve mental health care delivery provide individual research opportunities for researchers to gain experience and to generate pilot data for subsequent studies, and expand the knowledge of mental health disorders in African Americans construct a research training paradigm utilizing and expanding upon existing educational programs, assuring protected time, and using intramural and extramural mentors while the clinician remains on site These goals will be achieved during the initial three-year grant period by providing: 1) the infrastructure necessary to support rigorous ongoing clinical mental health research, 2) the environment, guidance and materials necessary to stimulate new research, and 3) the training, education and guidance necessary to conduct rigorous clinical mental health-relevant research through infrastructure activities.
| Shim, Ruth S; Baltrus, Peter; Bradford, L DiAnne et al. (2013) Characterizing depression and comorbid medical conditions in African American women in a primary care setting. J Natl Med Assoc 105:183-91 |
