The long-term objective of this Resource Center for Minority Aging Research is to reduce the gap in health status differentials between older African Americans and Caucasians. In order to achieve this objective, the Center will fulfill the following specific aims: increase learning and mentoring relationship between experienced researchers and researchers without previously funded research on African Americans and aging issues (Investigator Development Core); support minority investigators in developing research to improve health status and health cre access for older African American adults by funding pilot studies which have a high probability of resulting in subsequent independent investigator awards (Investigator Development Core); support minority investigators in developing research to improve health status and health care access for older African American adults by funding pilot studies which have a high probability of resulting in subsequent independent investigator awards (Investigator Development Core); increase and disseminate knowledge about, and experience with, gaining access to and maintaining relationships with populations of African Americans for aging research (Investigator Development Core); increase cultural awareness, community development techniques, and methodological skills of majority and minority researchers who have limited familiarity with African American populations or with behavioral science/epidemiological research skills in conducting research in African American populations (Community Liaison Core); create an infrastructure, using previously tested models for accessing older African American individuals, to encourage their participation in biomedical, social, and behavioral research on aging (Community Liaison Core); and create culturally sensitive data collection strategies and measurement tools for use in aging research involving older African American populations (Measurement Core). This proposal offers an opportunity to create a unique type of research infrastructure, set within a health cre system rather than outside it. Henry Ford Health System (HFHS), based in Detroit, serves southeast Michigan, with approximately a 20% share of all health care services provided in the area. Henry Ford Health System has access to a large number of older African American patients, and has a successful track record in retaining patients in clinical research. Henry Ford Health System is home to the Center for Medical Treatment Effectiveness programs (MEDTEP Center), funded by the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research to close the gap in health-related treatment outcomes and quality-of-life between African American and Caucasian patients. Much of the work conducted by the MEDTEP Center, such as participating in community health promotion activities for African Americans, facilitating research on improving health and quality of life outcomes for African Americans, assisting and encouraging African American investigators to conduct treatment effectiveness research relevant ot African Americans, providing technical assistance to others conducting treatment effectiveness research relevant to African Americans, and disseminating information on the results of Center projects to the Henry System and the scientific and lay communities, falls within the scope of the role of a Resource Center for Minority Aging Research. Thus, the Henry Ford Health System MEDTEP Center is ideally suited to become a Resource Center for Minority Aging Research.
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