Office of Research on Women's Health Strategic Plan to Address Health DisparitiesAmong Diverse Populations of Women

摘要

The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) at the National Institutes ofHealth (NIH), which was established in 1990 within the Office of the Director, NIH, is the catalyst and focal point for research related to women's health issues supported and conducted by the institutes and centers of the NIH. Because health status is the result of the complex interplay of genetic inheritance, lifestyle, and environmental factors, the ORWH, with the participation of the biomedical, public policy, and advocacy communities, developed a research agenda that addresses the ways in which biology, age, ethnic background, economic status, and other factors influence the health of women. If the disparities in health status and health outcomes for diverse populations of women are to be eradicated, knowledge about why these disparities exist is essential. To obtain that knowledge and have it affect health care delivery and public policy, clinical research studies must include adequate numbers of women and minority members as participants. The ORWH also recognizes that to succeed in recruiting and retaining diverse populations of women in clinical trials, it is necessary to enlist the help of community-based individuals and organizations and health professionals who are on the front lines of health care delivery.