We introduce the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) research framework, a product that emerged from the NIMHD science visioning process.
The NIMHD research framework is a multilevel, multidomain model that depicts a wide array of health determinants relevant to understanding and addressing minority health and health disparities and promoting health equity. We describe the conceptual underpinnings of the framework and define its components.
We also describe how the framework can be used to assess minority health and health disparities research as well as priorities for the future. Finally, we describe how fiscal year 2015 research project grants funded by NIMHD map onto the framework, and we identify gaps and opportunities for future minority health and health disparities research.
Understanding and addressing health disparities in all of their complexity and promoting health equity requires applying a multidimensional research lens. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) research framework (hereafter “the framework”) is a tool for conceptualizing and depicting the wide array of determinants that promote or worsen minority health or cause, sustain, or reduce health disparities. These determinants may reflect etiological factors related to health outcomes as well as intervention targets to improve minority health or reduce disparities. NIMHD considers the framework to be a work in progress and may change it in response to changes in research conceptualizations or terminology as well as feedback from the extramural community and other stakeholders. (author abstract)