Subject: NIH GUIDE - RFA AG-91-15 - V20(41) 11/01/91
From: Dot Baker <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 04 Nov 91 14:35 EST

Hi Paul,
   # 3 for posting to the NIH Listserver.  Please post as:
       RFAAG-91-15.911101
                         Dottie
 ---------------------------- Text of forwarded message -----------------------
 
$$XID RFA AG9115 AG-91-15 P1O1 *****************************************
 
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS
 
RFA:  AG-91-15
 
HISPANIC HEALTH AND AGING
 
P.T. 34, FD; K.W. 0710010, 0730000, 0408006, 0404000, 0417000,
1002019
 
National Institute on Aging
 
Letter of Intent Receipt Date:  December 1, 1991
Application Receipt Date:  January 24, 1992
 
PURPOSE
 
The National Institute on Aging (NIA) invites applications for
investigations in the area of Hispanic health and aging.
Investigations on the influence of genetic, social, environmental,
behavioral, and economic factors on morbidity and mortality, as well
as applications proposing research on the utilization of health
services among the Hispanic elderly are requested. In addition to the
development of new data, secondary analyses of existing data are
acceptable.
 
There are currently one million elderly Hispanics living in the
continental United States, and this number is expected to grow to 5.6
million in less than 50 years -- a growth rate that is calculated to
be four times the rate of the overall elderly population.  Despite
the growth in the number of older Hispanics, information about their
health status, rehabilitation needs, and use of medical services is
scarce.  Existing data, although limited, suggest that elderly
Hispanics are much more likely to report fair or poor health relative
to non-Hispanic elderly.  Elderly Hispanics tend to demonstrate
greater physical disability with age than non-Hispanic elderly, thus
requiring more long-term care services, both within the home and in
institutional settings.
 
Existing health data on the Hispanic elderly are limited with most of
the results relying exclusively on the individual's subjective
assessment of his or her health.  Improved data on the antecedent
variables affecting morbidity and mortality and data on the
utilization of health services among elderly Hispanics would greatly
assist in the design of intervention and prevention programs.  Such
programs could be improved through better knowledge of the
relationship of disease severity to specific types of functional
impairment.
 
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2000
 
The Public Health Service (PHS) is committed to achieving the health
promotion and disease prevention objectives of "Healthy People 2000,"
a PHS-led national activity for setting priority areas.  Potential
applicants may obtain a copy of "Healthy People 2000" (Full Report:
Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) or "Healthy People 2000" (Summary Report:
Stock No. 017-001-00473-1) through the Superintendant of Documents,
Government Printing Office, Washington DC  20402-9325 (telephone
202-783-3238).
 
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 
Applications may be submitted by domestic and foreign, for-profit and
non-profit, organizations, public and private, such as universities,
colleges, hospitals, laboratories, units of State or local
governments, and eligible agencies of the Federal Government.
Applications from minority investigators and women are encouraged.
 
MECHANISM OF SUPPORT
 
Support of this program will be through the Public Health Service
grant-in-aid individual research grant (R01).  Awards will be
administered under PHS grants policy, as stated in the Public Health
Service Grants Policy Statement, DHHS Publication No. (OASH)
82-50,000, revised October 1, 1990.
 
This Request for Applications (RFA) is a one-time solicitation.  The
award of grants pursuant to this RFA is contingent on the
availability of funds for this purpose.  Generally, future
unsolicited competing renewal applications will compete with all
investigator-initiated applications and be reviewed by the Division
of Research Grants (DRG).  However, if the NIA determines that there
is a sufficient continuing program need, the RFA will be reissued.
The total project period for applications submitted in response to
the present RFA may not exceed five years.  The earliest feasible
start date for the initial awards will be July 1, 1992.
 
FUNDS AVAILABLE
 
Up to two million dollars in total (direct and indirect) first-year
costs, and additional approved expenses for up to five years, will be
committed to fund up to six applications from those submitted in
response to this RFA.  This funding level is dependent on the receipt
of a sufficient number of applications of high scientific merit and
the availability of funds for this purpose.
 
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
 
This RFA solicits research on the following issues:
 
o  In-depth epidemiological studies with a longitudinal focus on the
causes and course of selected health problems in elderly Hispanics.
Samples of Hispanic men and women (from one or more of the major
Hispanic subgroups:  Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central
and South American) age 60 and older would be assessed for rates of
specific diseases, impairments, and disabilities as well as normative
data on cognitive and mental status; factors affecting health status,
such as body composition and health habits; and the use of health
care services.
 
o  Descriptive studies that characterize the association of chronic
diseases with disability among the Hispanic elderly.  Studies that
describe the details of the pathway from disease to disability to
death (as well as rehabilitation studies of disability to the
non-disabled state), in addition to analytic studies that identify
factors associated with how individuals progress through these
pathways.
 
o  Comparative studies testing the hypothesis that the Hispanic
elderly have more (or less) frailty and disability relative to
non-Hispanic subgroups. Comparisons within the various Hispanic
subgroups and gender differences are also encouraged, as are issues
of work history, access to health services, insurance coverage, and
rural vs. urban differences.
 
o  Examination of the role of genetics among elderly Hispanics by
studying American Indian ancestry as a factor in susceptibility to
specific disease. Prevalence of certain diseases is high among select
American Indian tribes and Hispanics suggesting that there may be
genetic factors involved.  Whether or not Hispanics with Indian
ancestry are at a higher risk for these diseases than other Hispanics
could be studied.
 
o  The interface between formal health and human services and
informal social supports among elderly Hispanics.  Key issues are the
predominance of families, rather than professionals, in providing
health and human services to the Hispanic elderly; the compatibility
of formal services with Hispanic culture; and the key mediating
variables enabling the Hispanic elderly and their families to use
formal support systems.
 
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
 
The Principal Investigators of funded projects, under the terms of
the awards, will meet in Bethesda with NIA staff yearly to review the
progress of their studies.  Funds for such travel must be requested
in applications.
 
STUDY POPULATIONS
 
It is NIH policy that women must be included in clinical study
populations unless there is a good reason to exclude them.  The study
design must seek to identify any pertinent gender population
differences.
 
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF NIH
POLICIES CONCERNING INCLUSION OF WOMEN IN CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDY
POPULATIONS
 
NIH and ADAMHA policy is that applicants for NIH/ADAMHA clinical
research grants and cooperative agreements will be required to
include 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 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 are
excluded or inadequately represented in clinical research,
particularly in proposed population-bases studies, a clear compelling
rationale should be provided.
 
The composition of the proposed study population must be described in
terms of gender group.  In addition, gender issues should be
addressed in developing a research design and sample size appropriate
for the scientific objectives of the study.  This information should
be inluded in the form PHS 398 in Section 2, A-D of the Research Plan
AND summarized in Section 2, E, Human Subjects.
 
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 studies
cannot be identified or linked to individuals are excluded.  However,
every effort should be made to include human tissues from women when
it is important to apply the results of the study broadly, and this
should be addressed by applicants.
 
If the required information is not contained within the application,
the application will be returned.
 
Peer reviewers will address specifically whether the research plan in
the application conforms to these policies.  If the representation of
women 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.  In addition, applicants must include minorities in their
study populations.  Due to the nature of this solicitation, this
requirement is satisfied.
 
REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS
 
Considering the broad scope of this RFA, applications dealing with
diseases specific to PHS funding agencies other than NIA will receive
secondary assignement to that funding agency according to the PHS
referral guidelines.  Applications will be assigned to an NIA special
review group for review.  Applications judged by NIA staff to be
non-responsive (those not directed at the goals of this RFA) will be
administratively withdrawn and returned to the applicant without
review.  Applications may receive a preliminary review by a
subcommittee of the review panel to establish those applications
deemed to be competitive.  An abbreviated summary statement noting
the major areas of concern will be sent to the Principal Investigator
of applications judged to be non-competitive.  The remaining
applications will be given full review.  The full committee may find
additional applications of which the merit of the proposed research
is not significant and not substantial.  Those applications will be
designated "not recommended for further consideration."  Following
review by the initial review group, the applications will be
considered by the National Advisory Council on Aging.
 
Listed below are the major criteria to be used in the initial review
of the applications received in response to this RFA:
 
o  scientific, technical, or medical significance and originality of
proposed research;
 
o  appropriateness and adequacy of the experimental approach and
methodology proposed to carry out the research;
 
o  qualifications and research experience of the Principal
Investigator and staff, particularly, but not exclusively, in the
area of the proposed research;
 
o  availability of adequate and appropriate resources necessary to
perform the research;
 
o  appropriateness of the proposed budget and duration in relation to
the proposed research; and
 
o  if an application involves activities that could have an adverse
effect upon humans, animals, or the environment, the adequacy of the
proposed means for protecting against or minimizing such effects.
 
APPLICATION PROCEDURES
 
The research grant application form PHS 398 (rev. 10/88, or 9/89)
must be used in applying for these grants.  These forms are available
at most institutional business offices and from the Office of Grants
Inquiries, Division of Research Grants, National Institutes of
Health, 5333 Westbard Avenue, Room 449, Bethesda, MD  20892,
telephone 301/496-7441.  Additional and revised materials will not be
accepted after the receipt date.  The only exceptions are
certifications that applications with pending Institutional Review
Board or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee are approved by
the appropriate committee.  This documentation must be submitted
within 60 days of the receipt date unless requested earlier by the
Scientific Review Office, NIA to accommodate review schedule.  There
will be no further notification to applicants concerning this matter.
The deadline for receipt of applications is January 24, 1992.
 
Applicants from institutions that have a General Clinical Research
Center (GCRC) funded by the NIH National Center for Research
Resources may wish to identify the GCRC as a resource for conducting
the proposed research.  In such a case, a letter of agreement from
either the GCRC program director or Principal Investigator must be
included with the application.
 
On item 2 of the face page of the application, applicants must enter:
AG-91-15, HISPANIC HEALTH AND AGING.  The RFA label available in the
10/88 revision of the application form PHS 398 must be affixed to the
bottom of the face page.  Failure to use this label could result in
delayed processing of the application and prevent it from reaching
the review committee in time for review.  The completed application
and six copies must be sent to:
 
Application Receipt Office
Division of Research Grants
National Institues of Health
Westwood Building, Room 240
Bethesda, MD  20892**
 
LETTER OF INTENT
 
A letter of intent to submit an application, while not required, is
requested.  The letter consists of a brief descriptive title, the
name of the Principal Investigator and other key investigators, and
the names and addresses of any other participating institutions.  The
letter of intent is requested in order to provide an indication of
the number and scope of applications to be reviewed.  The letter of
intent does not commit the sender to submit an application, nor is it
a requirement for submission of an application and does not enter
into the review of an application subsequently submitted.  This
letter is to be addressed to Dr. Manuel Miranda at the address listed
below.
 
INQUIRIES
 
For further information regarding programmatic issues, applicants may
write or call:
 
Manuel R. Miranda, Ph.D.
National Institute on Aging
Interdisc. Research/Geriatrics Program
Building 31, Room 3B63
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 402-1115
 
Direct inquiries regarding fiscal matters to:
 
Mr. Joe Ellis
Grants Management Officer
National Institute on Aging
Building 31, Room 5C07
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD  20892
Telephone:  (301) 496-1572
 
AUTHORITY AND REGULATIONS
 
This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance, No. 93.866, Biology of Aging Program.  Awards will be
made under the authority of the Public Health Service Act, Section
301 (42 USC 241) and administered under PHS Grants Policies and
Federal Regulations 42 CFR Part 52 and 45 CFR Part 74.  This program
is not subject to the intergovernmental review requirements of
Executive Order 12372 or review by a Health Systems Agency.