Mental, Behavioral Related

NIMHD’s Conversations with Researchers Engaging With Communities

February is Black History Month. As we celebrate the significant contributions to America—from its history through present day and beyond—by people who represent Black and African American communities, we recognize researchers who are promoting health equity through their community-engaged research.

NIMHD’s Conversations with Researchers Innovating to Promote Health Equity

May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. As we celebrate the significant contributions to America—from its history through present day—by people who represent Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities, we recognize researchers who are promoting health equity through their work funded through NIMHD’s Small Business Innovation Research/Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Program.

Sleep plays an important role in maintaining vital body organs and systems (such as metabolism, cognition, memory, attention, mental health, cardiovascular health). Yet, about 50 to 70 million U.S. adults report having a sleep problem, either short sleep duration or long sleep duration.

In a recent study funded by NIMHD, researchers found that acculturation and depression are associated with short and long sleep duration among Mexican Americans. The researchers defined:

Neighborhood poverty and the challenging living conditions that can come with it—such as higher vigilance, lower trust, and environmental dangers–have been linked to an accumulation of stress that can contribute to cellular aging and health problems later in life.

Experiencing racism can be hard on your health. In medical schools, the stress that comes from structural (i.e., societal-level) racism is an additional burden on Black students and faculty. A new study supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) and based on a survey conducted in 2020 found that the stress caused by racial unrest and perceived racism can affect the mental health of Black students. The research suggests that medical schools can do more to address discrimination to support their students’ mental health.

As of 2020, more than 52 million people living in the United States struggle with mental illness. The burden of mental illness in this country is among the highest of all diseases, and mental disorders are among the most common causes of disability.

American Indian people with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) are more likely to have a lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) than those without T2D. A new study in Cherokee Nation citizens from Oklahoma finds that this increased risk may be due to things that influence psychological or social wellbeing, collectively called psychosocial factors. Some psychosocial factors that may lower HRQoL include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), lack of social support, or low levels of resilience. Addressing these factors could improve HRQoL for American Indian people with diabetes.

Alcohol and cigarette use are more common in White than Black/African American individuals, and Black/African American individuals are more likely to have recurring problems with alcohol and continue to smoke later into adulthood than White individuals. Oftentimes, alcohol consumption and cigarette use go together. A recent study by a team of researchers within the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities intramural research programs, American University, and Charles R.

The NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education (OITE) hosts poster sessions every year for recent college graduates (postbaccalaureate students, or “postbacs”) throughout the NIH Institutes to present their research to review panels and peers. The event provides an opportunity for these early scientists to share their NIH research while developing their communication and networking skills. Posters are reviewed by teams composed of graduate students, postdoctoral students, and staff scientists.

NIMHD’s Conversations with Researchers Advancing Health Equity

November is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. As we celebrate the significant contributions to America—from its history through present day—by people who represent Native communities, we recognize researchers who are promoting health equity through their work to advance the science of minority health and health disparities.