Understanding the Intersection of Social Inequities to Optimize Health and Reduce Health Disparities: The Axes Initiative (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

Contacts by research area

This opportunity will provide funding for research to examine the pathways through which social determinants of health (SDOH), and related biological, psychological, and behavioral factors impact health and health disparities. The primary populations of focus are those that experience health disparities in the U.S., including racial and ethnic minority populations, people with lower socioeconomic status, underserved rural populations, sexual and gender minority populations, and people with disabilities.

Project examples include, but are not limited to:

• Comparative studies that examine similarities and differences in pathways and mechanisms of health and health disparity impacts across intersectional statuses
• Studies that focus on how exposure to various forms of privilege and oppression converge to affect SDOH experienced by people at intersections of social statuses and, in turn, affect underlying biological processes
• Longitudinal and life course studies that examine pathways and mechanisms over time and across generations at intersections of social statuses
• Studies that examine the multilevel pathways and mechanisms through which concentrated disadvantage impacts health at different intersections of social statuses
• Studies that examine pathways and mechanisms to explain unexpected positive health outcomes across intersecting social statuses
• Studies that identify protective factors at multiple levels and the ways these protective factors buffer effects of oppression on health disparities
• Studies that examine the differential impact of policies and laws at the federal, state, and/or local levels at varied axes of privilege and oppression
• Simulation studies that estimate the impacts of strategies to ameliorate adverse SDOH to reveal pathways or mechanisms of action that affect change at the individual, community, and population levels

Eligible applicants include:

• Higher education institutions
  • Public/state controlled institutions
  • Private institutions
• Nonprofit organizations
  • With 501(c)(3) status
  • Without 501(c)(3) status
  • Native American tribal organizations
  • Faith-based or community-based organizations
  • Regional organizations
• Governments
  • State
  • County
  • City or township
  • Special districts
  • Federally recognized Indian/Native American tribal governments
  • Indian/Native American tribal governments (other than federally recognized)
  • Eligible agencies of the federal government
  • U.S. territory or possession
• Other
  • Independent school districts
  • Public housing authorities
  • Indian housing authorities
  • Small businesses
  • For-profit organizations

The following types of higher education institutions are encouraged to apply:

• Hispanic-serving Institutions
• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
• Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)
• Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
• Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs)

Application budgets cannot exceed $500,000 in direct costs per year and must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project. The maximum project period is 5 years.

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.

While not required, potential applicants are encouraged to email a letter of intent to NOFOReviewContact@csr.nih.gov at least 30 days prior to submission.