Analysis of NINDS Health Disparities and Health Equity Research Portfolio, 2016-2020: Results and a Process for Transparency, Accuracy, and Reliability.

Abstract

As detailed throughout this special issue, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) recently undertook a strategic planning effort to guide the Institute's efforts and priorities in health disparities and health equity (HD/HE) research. One input into this effort was to conduct a 5-year longitudinal, in-depth analysis of NINDS-supported HD/HE research newly funded between the years 2016 and 2020. The goals of this analysis were to describe NINDS's portfolio according to consistent, contemporary definitions and HD/HE disciplinary theory. This required the development of a novel, systematic, and validated analysis protocol. The portfolio analysis was designed to inform the recommendations of an expert working group convened by the NINDS and internal efforts to support high-priority research, training, and infrastructure efforts. NINDS staff developed and validated this HD/HE research portfolio analysis protocol. Ultimately, HD/HE projects were characterized by their disease focus, populations of study, the health equity determinant(s) addressed, and the type and phase of research being conducted. For all interventional research, there was further assessment of the type and setting of intervention delivery as well as utilization of evidence-based community engagement and intervention sustainability approaches. A total of 58 new HD/HE research projects were funded from 2016 to 2020. The results of the descriptive analysis described here help provide a holistic picture of NINDS's HD/HE research portfolio, revealing strengths and gaps in the portfolio as well as opportunities ripe for future investment. NINDS developed a standardized HD/HE research categorization methodology with imbedded quality control checks that is intended to be transparent, accurate, and reproducible. The results of this HD/HE research portfolio analysis will serve as a baseline from which to assess the success of NINDS's research investments going forward.