Research Project
9784859
Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, First, Middle): Bauer, Mark C. DESCRIPTION: State the application?s broad, long-term objectives and specific aims, making reference to the health relatedness of the project. Describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving these goals. Avoid summaries of past accomplishments and the use of the first person. This abstract is meant to serve as a succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when separated from the application. If the application is funded, this description, as is, will become public information. Therefore, do not include proprietary/confidential information. DO NOT EXCEED THE SPACE PROVIDED. Significant disparities separate Native populations from the health and health infrastructure enjoyed by the general U.S. population. To develop culturally relevant approaches to building healthy communities, more Native health professionals and researchers are needed for Native Nations to exercise their sovereignty, role and responsibilities to achieve health equity. Yet, for aspiring health professionals on rural reservations, education and training opportunities are limited. The Navajo Native American Research Center for Health Partnership?s Student Enhancement Project will build and institutionalize an educational enhancement program to develop the human infrastructure needed to conduct evidence-based health research relevant and essential to improve the well-being of the Navajo people. The Student Enhancement Project builds on Diné College?s demonstrated ability to collaborate with institutions of higher education to enhance the Navajo Nation?s professional health research capacity by training Navajo students, practitioners, and researchers. Using a ?educational pipeline approach? to resources within the Navajo Nation, the specific aims of this project are to: 1) increase the number of high school students who enter a health-related post-high school education or training program; 2) increase the number of undergraduate students who complete a public health degree that highlights health research methods; and 3) increase the number of public health and health educators, administrators and practitioners working for the Navajo Department of Health, Indian Health Service and Diné College who complete graduate-level courses and/or achieve an MPH. To achieve these aims, the Student Enhancement Project will build on existing academic partnerships and coordinate with the Navajo NARCH?s Administrative Core and Research Project PIs to provide three educational opportunities: a) a service learning program for high school students; b) a Diné College bachelor level degree in public health, building on the existing associate degree and expanding on the Diné College?s 10-week Summer Research Enhancement Program and c) a University of Arizona MPH degree with a concentration in Indigenous Health offered through a hybrid of online and face-to-face courses on the Diné College campus. Evaluation of project impact will be tracked quantitatively (students enrolled, completed courses and degrees) and qualitatively (student voice documenting factors associated with success and practical skill sets).
