Description

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) supports research projects that address the following broad research areas: (1) Physical and mental health conditions that may be related to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; (2) Diagnosing WTC-related health conditions for which there has been diagnostic uncertainty; and (3) Treating WTC-related health conditions for which there has been treatment uncertainty. These broad research areas can include health conditions which have emerged over the course of time since the treatment program started (or the WTC Health Program was created). WTC responders, screening-eligible WTC survivors, and certified-eligible WTC survivors comprise the relevant populations of concern for research supported by the WTC Health Program. The purpose of this announcement is to solicit meritorious and scientifically rigorous research applications that will help: 1) improve diagnosis and treatment activities of the WTC Health Program; 2) expand knowledge about health effects related to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; 3) answer critical questions about physical and mental health conditions related to the September 2001 terrorist attacks; and 4) apply lessons learned from 9/11 to improve response to future disasters. Clinical research areas considered for potential projects may include, but are not limited to: (a) Screening research to evaluate current, or facilitate the development of, new/improved methods to detect certain disorders or health conditions.; (b) Diagnostic research to evaluate current, or facilitate the development of, new/improved, methods to identify diseases, disorders, or conditions; c) Treatment research to evaluate/identify improved treatment interventions/methods (e.g., medication, psychotherapy, dietary/nutritional, care management and coordination etc.) or promote the development of new or novel treatment approaches, e.g. telemedicine; (d) Prevention research to identify/evaluate new methods and interventions (e.g., medicine(s), psychotherapy, vaccines, nutrition, or lifestyle changes) that prevent or mitigate the development or reoccurrence of various diseases/disorders; (e) Quality of Life research to identify, develop, or evaluate, methods/interventions that improve comfort and the quality of life for individuals with a chronic illness or multimorbidity; (f) Omics research to facilitate improvement in methods/procedures for the prediction of disorders by identifying and understanding how genes and illnesses may be related (e.g., identification of phenotypes and biomarkers). Research in this area may explore ways in which a person’s genes make him or her more or less likely to develop a disorder or respond to a medication; (g) Epidemiological/clinical research to identify patterns, causes, and control of adverse health effects among the 9/11-exposed population, including research focusing on potentially vulnerable or understudied populations, such as women, race and ethnic minority groups, and persons who were exposed to 9/11 hazards as children. These projects will also identify, implement and improve research methods; (h) Health Services research to examine how people get access to health care and care management services, how much care costs, and what happens to patients because of this care. Research projects in this area have the potential to identify improved methods/procedures to organize, manage, finance, and deliver health care; and (i) Implementation research to evaluate the process whereby WTC Health Program research outputs are disseminated, adopted, implemented, sustained, and scaled up equitably in real-world settings for affected populations. Relevant physical and mental health conditions include, but are not limited to: aerodigestive health; aging (the impacts of aging on those impacted by 9/11 illness and injury (e.g., premature aging, optimizing adaptation for productivity)); cancer (including detection/diagnosis of pre-malignant changes); cardiovascular disease; cognitive changes; neurological diseases; multisystem or auto-immune diseases; persistent psychiatric conditions such as posttraumatic stress, anxiety and depressive disorders; and psychological resilience. The research should consider health equity initiatives in design, where possible. Opportunities for future health effects research involving vulnerable groups of persons (e.g., minorities, women, children, and other potentially disadvantaged groups) who were exposed to the 9/11 attacks and aftermath are of special interest. Research is needed to identify at-risk groups, characterize the health burden, and to inform care. The WTC Health Program Research webpage provides comprehensive information and tools for researchers. The research agenda, publication library, and other resources, including the Funding Dashboard, can also be found there (e.g., awarded project details such as publications, topics, populations, funding awarded, and the principal investigators and their institutions).