Subject: NIH GUIDE - V20(21) 05/31/91 - P2/2
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 29 May 91 16:24 EST

Hi Paul,
   Please post this to the NIH Listserver as:
    NIHGUIDE2.doc
 Thanks.   dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
$$XID NIHGUIDE 19910531 V20N21 P2O2 ************************************
age.  The U.S. Congress has called for an increased research effort in
order to improve the knowledge base necessary for the promotion of
health and the prevention of disease among rural older people and for
developing and implementing effective, acceptable, and accessible health
care and other services.
 
II.  SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
 
A research agenda is needed for examining the life-long experience, the
current circumstances, and the special physical and social nature of
rural life as they affect the health, well-being, and functioning of
nonmetropolitan older people.  Although many research topics are worthy
of consideration, NIA consultants and staff have identified five as
requiring special attention.  Applications proposing activities relevant
to these broad topics are especially encouraged.  (To obtain more
detailed information about these topics from NIA Staff, see Section
VII.)
 
A) The changing social, economic, demographic, and epidemiologic
characteristics of the older rural population
 
In 1980, 25.5 million Americans were 65 or older, and 25 percent of
these lived in rural areas.  While older people comprised about 11
percent of both the urban and rural populations, several aspects of the
older rural population reflect its diversity and distinguish it from its
urban counterparts.  These sources of diversity and distinctiveness need
to be considered in regard to their possible effects on aging and the
health and effective functioning of older rural residents.
 
B) The occupational and physiochemical environment
 
The exposure of older rural residents to particular physiochemical and
occupational environments reflects the wide diversity of aging processes
and health in rural areas and also distinguishes them from the
experiences of older urban residents.  This exposure raises the general
question of whether or not the effects are cumulative and whether or not
it interacts with aging processes (e.g., accelerates aging).
 
C) The aging population of rural communities
 
Attention needs to be paid not only to the health and well-being of
older people, but also to the entire infrastructure of the communities
in which older people live.  A thorough investigation of the health and
socioeconomic circumstances of older rural residents implies a need to
study older individuals in the context of their social environment.
Currently, many rural communities are undergoing massive changes.  Some
of these changes are brought on by the significant increases in the
proportion of the population that is old--the "aging" of the rural
population is exacerbated by either the emigration of younger people or
the immigration of older people.  As rural communities change, complex
interactions--among older people, their families, other individuals in
the community, and various community organizations, institutions, and
agencies--influence the health and psychological, social, and financial
well-being of older rural people.  As people grow older and live longer,
changes may occur in their relationships with their families, their
churches, and their membership in informal social groups.
 
D) The availability, utilization, and quality of health-care and other
services
 
Research is needed on the origins and consequences for older rural
residents of the relative unavailability of health-care (including
disease-preventive services, e.g., for hypertension, smoking, and
injuries) and social services in rural communities.
 
E) Aging rural people as resources
 
Aspects of rural physical and social environments that may promote
health and effective functioning as people grow older deserve attention.
Despite the popular stereotype that "old age means dependency," the
overwhelming majority of older people are never institutionalized and
lead productive and independent lives.  Unfortunately, the substantial
societal resource that the growing numbers of older people represent is
usually overlooked.  Research on aging rural people may be the place to
begin the process of recognizing older people as a resource.
 
III.  DEFINITION OF RURAL
 
This program announcement follows the Bureau of the Census' definitions
of "rural vs. urban," "metropolitan vs. nonmetropolitan," and "farm vs.
nonfarm."  It recognizes that "rural" or "nonmetropolitan" is not
synonymous with "agriculture" and/or that appropriate research
populations include people living in small towns engaged in
nonagricultural occupations.
 
IV.  MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT AND REVIEW CRITERIA
 
Research project grant (R01) and First Independent Research Support and
Transition (FIRST) Award (R29) applications, fellowships (F32, F33),
research career development awards (K04) accepted in response to this
program announcement will be assigned to NIH/ADAMHA Institutes and an
Initial Review Group in accordance with standard Referral Guidelines.
Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by an
appropriate initial review group.  Secondary review will be by the
appropriate National Advisory Council.  Applications will compete on the
basis of scientific merit with all other applications.
 
V. ELIGIBILITY
 
Applications may be submitted by public or private, non-profit or
for-profit, organizations such as universities, colleges, hospitals,
research institutes and organizations, units of State and local
governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal government.  Women and
minority investigators are encouraged to apply.
 
VI.  INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND MINORITIES
 
NIH and ADAMHA policy is that applicants for NIH/ADAMHA clinical
research grants will be required to include minorities and women in
study populations so that research findings can be of benefit to all
persons at risk of the disease, disorder or condition under study;
special emphasis should be placed on the need for inclusion of
minorities and women in studies of diseases, disorders and conditions
which disproportionately affect them.  This policy is intended to apply
to males and females of all ages.  If women or minorities are excluded
or inadequately represented in clinical research, particularly in
proposed population-based studies, a clear compelling rationale should
be provided.
 
The composition of the proposed study population must be described in
terms of gender and racial/ethnic group, together with a rationale for
its choice.  In addition, gender and racial/ethnic issues should be
addressed in developing a research design and sample size appropriate
for the scientific objectives of the study.  This information should be
included in the form PHS 398 in Section 2, A-D of the Research Plan AND
summarized in Section 2, E, Human Subjects.
 
Applicants/offerors are urged to assess carefully the feasibility of
including the broadest possible representation of minority groups.
However, NIH recognizes that it may not be feasible or appropriate in
all research projects to include representation of the full array of
United States racial/ethnic minority populations (i.e., Native Americans
(including American Indians or Alaskan Natives), Asian/Pacific
Islanders, Blacks, Hispanics).  The rationale or studies on single
minority population groups should be provided.
 
For the purpose of this policy, clinical research includes human
biomedical and behavioral studies of etiology, epidemiology, prevention
(and preventive strategies), diagnosis, or treatment of diseases,
disorders or conditions, including but not limited to clinical trials.
 
The usual NIH policies concerning research on human subjects also apply.
Basic research or clinical studies in which human tissues cannot be
identified or linked to individuals are excluded.  However, every effort
should be made to include human tissues from women and racial/ethnic
minorities when it is important to apply the results of the study
broadly, and this should be addressed by applicants.
 
For foreign awards, the policy on inclusion of women applies fully;
since the definition of minority differs in other countries, the
applicant must discuss the relevance of research involving foreign
population groups to the United States' populations, including
minorities.
 
If the required information is not contained within the application, the
review will be deferred until the information is provided.
 
Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in
the application conforms to these policies.  If the representation of
women or minorities in a study design is inadequate to answer the
scientific question(s) addressed AND the justification for the selected
study population is inadequate, it will be considered a scientific
weakness or deficiency in the study design and will be reflected in
assigning the priority score to the application.
 
All applications for clinical research submitted to NIH are required to
address these policies.  NIH funding components will not award grants or
cooperative agreements that do not comply with these policies.
 
VII.  METHOD OF APPLYING
 
For further information, contact NIA staff in advance of submission.
 
Basic Aging Program
H. Warner
Telephone:  (301) 496-6402
 
Behavioral and Social Research Program
R. P. Abeles
Telephone:  (301) 496-3136
 
Geriatrics Program
S. Slater
Telephone:  (301) 496-6761
 
Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging Program
T. S. Radebaugh
Telephone:  (301) 496-9350
 
Address financial management questions to:
 
J. Ellis
Grants and Contracts Management Office
National Institute on Aging
Building 31, Room 5C07
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1472
 
For information about the coordinated program of the National Center on
Nursing Research (NCNR), see "Rural Health Care Research:  Impacting
Vulnerable Populations," NIH Guide to Grants and Contracts, Vol. 20, No.
6, February 8, 1991, and/or contact Dr. P. Moritz, NCNR, telephone (301)
496-0523.
 
Applicants must use the grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 10/88) and
fellowship application forms PHS 416-1 (rev.  7/88), which are available
at the applicant's institutional Application Control Office and from:
 
Office of Grants Inquiries
Division of Research Grants
National Institute of Health
Westwood Building, Room 449
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-7441
 
Check the box on the application face sheet indicating that the
application is in response to this announcement and print on line 2 "HEF
of Older Rural Populations, PA-91-64."  The standard receipt dates for
applications by the Division of Research Grants apply (for R01, R29,
P01, and K04:  February 1, June 1, and October 1; for T32, F32, and F33:
January 10, May 10, and September 10 of each year).  Mail the complete
original application and the appropriate number of copies to:
 
Division of Research Grants
National Institutes of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
No. 93.866.  Agency Research Awards will be made under the authority of
the Public Health Service Act, Title III, Section 301 (Public Law
78-410, as amended; 42 USC 241 and 41 USC 289) and be subject to PHS
Grants Policies and Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part
74.  This program is not subject to Health Systems Agency review or
Executive Order 12372.
 
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