Call for Applications (CFA) open January 10, 2020- March 11, 2020.
Full CFA available at rwjf.org
Each year, Interdisciplinary Research Leaders teams focus on one of two annual themes in order to build cohort cohesiveness and to generate a critical mass of evidence for change. Our two themes for 2020 are “community environment and health” and “families and child health.” In both themes, the emphasis is on action-oriented research that is applied to create change in communities.
Families and Child Health
Recruiting January-March 2020 to Begin September 2020
The IRL program seeks leaders who will conduct action-oriented research projects focused on supporting families and child health, and health equity. While research addressing all aspects of families is welcome, we are particularly interested in research addressing and supporting the health of fathers and their children.
The family is the basic biosocial unit for promoting child health and development; families may provide economic, social, and psychological resources that enhance the health of all members, especially children. While there is an abundance of research on family characteristics and child health, families are changing and new questions are emerging. For example, as documented by Carr and Springer, the prevalence of two‐biological‐parent households in the United States has declined over the last half century. In 1970, 85 percent of children under age 18 lived in two‐ parent families. In 2004, by contrast, only 61 percent of children lived with married biological parents (Carr & Springer. 2010. “Advances in families and health research in the 21st century.” Journal of Marriage and Family).
Moreover, differences by race, socioeconomic status, geographic region, migration status, and other key social factors are evident and growing. Among other things, nutritious foods, energetic play, and positive social and emotional environments, are critical to the health and well-being of children. Unfortunately, many children lack some or all of these basic necessities. More community-engaged, action-oriented research on ways to support the health of families is needed. Topics might include novel work on food policy (e.g., SNAP); vaccination resistance; minimum wage floors; urban Indian health programs; child-care subsidy efforts; caregiver mentoring programs; and so forth.
What is more, while there is an abundance of research—and major research programs—focused on maternal and child health, there is relatively little research on fathers (biological and social) and their children’s health. This is unfortunate in an era of changing family structures, changing gender norms, and evident disparities in child health.
U.S. Census data show there were 2 million single fathers in 2016: About 40 percent were divorced; 38 percent were never married; 16 percent were separated; and 6 percent were widowed. Approximately 16 percent of single- parent households are headed by fathers. Research shows that increases in fathers’ participation in physical child care (e.g., giving the kids a bath and getting them dressed) and the frequency of taking children outside to walk/play are associated with decreases in the odds of childhood obesity from age 2 to age 4. (Wong, et al. 2017 “The Longitudinal Association Between Early Childhood Obesity and Fathers’ Involvement in Caregiving and Decision‐Making.” Obesity). The father’s involvement in his child’s health care include systemic issues, such as inconvenient office hours and lack of time off from work, as well as individual issues. (Yogman et al. 2016. Fathers’ Roles in the Care and Development of Their Children. Pediatrics). Yet many questions remain.
The following research projects are examples of topics of potential interest under this theme. These examples are merely illustrative, and we welcome proposals on a range of topics and approaches, provided they are consistent with the discussion above.
- A qualitative study exploring the causes and solutions to vaccine resistance in Somali immigrant families.
- A community-engaged randomized trial to test competing communication approaches for helping young families with different language needs find needed services.
- A focus group study examining health wisdom older fathers wish they knew when they were young fathers.
- A statistical analysis of the differential impacts of competing paid family medical leave benefits on father and child health.
- A random sample survey of community assets for supporting single fathers and their families.
Full CFA available at rwjf.org
Community Environment and Health
Recruiting January-March 2020 to Begin September 2020
The IRL program seeks leaders who will conduct action-oriented research projects focused on community environments and health. For purposes here, we use “environment” in the traditional, biophysical sense. That is, this theme is focused on the physical, chemical, and biotic factors (e.g., soil and other living things) that impact human health and health equity. Included are issues relating to land use; noise pollution; solid, liquid, and hazardous materials management; underground storage tank control; septic and sewer systems; vector control; drinking water quality; water sanitation, and similar factors. This theme is not focused on the impacts of social, cultural, or built environments, per se, though such things may be related to biophysical environments. The term “community environment” is used to make clear that we seek research leaders interested in equity and change at the local level, such as a town, city, or even a state. Simply put, this theme is not focused on global climate change and the world systems that drive it.
There is a long history of research on the relationship between biophysical environments and health. While early scientific work may be traced to John Snow and cholera epidemics (see Johnson, 2006, The Ghost Map), a modern regulatory highlight was President Clinton’s Executive Order 12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations, which focused federal attention on environmental equity. More recent concerns focus on drinking water safety in Flint, Mich., and risks associated with oil pipelines in the Midwest.
This theme aims to generate research to support change and equity in local biophysical environments that affect human health. Proposed projects should focus on collecting scientifically credible data useful for change. Simple needs assessments or correlational studies are less useful in this regard. Setting this work apart from much of the existing literature is community engagement, which is the foundation stone of the IRL program. While documenting problems is important, the IRL program is primarily interested in developing and testing evidence-based solutions. Projects that aim to improve health equity are highly valued in the IRL program.
The following research projects are examples of topics of potential interest under this theme. These examples are merely illustrative, and we welcome proposals on a range of topics and approaches, provided they are consistent with the discussion above.
- An experimental trial comparing community-measured emissions before and after auto body shops convert from solvent to water-borne paint products.
- A descriptive study that scientifically ranks a community’s environmental concerns and preferred remedies so as to help under-resourced regulatory agencies prioritize their work.
- A random sample survey of lead levels in drinking water from schools, libraries, and community centers, stratified by census block-group measures of race and socioeconomic status.
- A methodological study comparing new measurement tools for nail salon workers’ exposure to organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants.
- Research into what financial incentives from local government agencies produce the most change in pollution from local businesses.
- Qualitative research with business owners elucidating their interest in reducing pollution, analyzed by owner’s race, size of business, and demographic characteristics of the business’ neighborhood.
Full CFA available at rwjf.org
Distinguishing features across both themes
The approach to this research, in both themes, is unique in three key ways:
- Our focus on community engagement, equity, and real-time action and impact—the foundations of our program—sets this research apart from the existing literature.
- Our focus on interdisciplinary approaches and fresh—even unexpected—partnerships on our teams. Who are new collaborators you could team up with to transform your approach and deepen your impact?
- The inclusion of leadership development—grounded in equity, authentic engagement, and application of research to influence policy—distinguishes this program from other research grants. Through intensive learning, mentoring, and research, our fellows deepen their influence and impact as leaders with the power to transform their workplaces and communities. For an overview of prior IRL themes and how teams have addressed them through their projects, visit IRLeaders.org.
