The NIMHD Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework reflects an evolving conceptualization of factors relevant to understanding and promoting minority health and to understanding and reducing health disparities.
The framework is a vehicle to encourage NIMHD- and NIH-supported research that addresses the complex and multi-faceted nature of minority health and health disparities, including research that spans different domains of influence (biological, behavioral, physical/built environment, sociocultural environment, health care system) as well as different levels of influence (individual, interpersonal, community, societal) within those domains.
The framework also provides a classification structure that facilitates analysis of the NIMHD and NIH minority health and health disparities research portfolios to assess progress, gaps, and opportunities. Examples of factors are provided within each cell of the framework (e.g., family microbiome within the interpersonal-biological cell). These factors are not intended to be exhaustive. Populations experiencing health disparities, as well as other features of this framework, may be adjusted over time.
Page updated Jan. 11, 2024
