Health Disparities and Alzheimer's Disease (R01) | PAR 15 349

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Health Disparities and Alzheimer's Disease (R01) - PAR 15-349

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the Health Disparities and Alzheimer's Disease (R01) funding opportunity announcement (FOA) PAR 15-349 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It uses the NIH R01 research grant mechanism to support studies focused on explaining and reducing disparities in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related disorders.

What is the main purpose of PAR 15-349?

The core purpose is to move the field beyond broad descriptions of unequal outcomes and toward research that identifies the drivers of those differences and tests ways to close gaps. The FOA is focused on disparities in who is studied, who receives services, and who experiences the burdens of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

What kinds of disparities is this FOA trying to address?

The FOA is aimed at health disparities in Alzheimer's disease and related disorders that show up as population-level differences in risk, diagnosis, progression, and care. It emphasizes that disparities are multi-factor problems shaped by biology, behavior, sociocultural context, and the environment, including how those factors interact.

What research approach does the FOA encourage?

The FOA encourages research that treats AD disparities as the product of interacting influences rather than a single cause. It invites studies that can clarify pathways or mechanisms (causal chains) that create and sustain disparities and pinpoint actionable intervention points in clinical settings, communities, health systems, or policy contexts.

Does this FOA focus only on describing disparities?

No. A central theme is pushing beyond describing disparities to identifying what drives them and testing strategies to reduce them. The intent is to strengthen understanding of why unequal outcomes occur and how they can be addressed.

Is underrepresentation in Alzheimer's research a key topic in this FOA?

Yes. The FOA highlights understanding and addressing why some groups remain underrepresented in AD research and how that underrepresentation can worsen disparities. A major area of interest is improving recruitment and retention of populations historically left out of AD studies.

What does the FOA say about recruitment and retention of study participants?

The FOA supports developing and evaluating strategies that improve recruitment and long-term retention of underrepresented populations in AD research. It specifically notes strategies that build trust, reduce participation barriers, and improve sustained engagement so study findings apply across populations most affected.

Why does retention matter, not just recruitment?

The FOA emphasizes that enrolling diverse participants is not enough if participants are not retained over time. Sustained involvement helps ensure study findings are relevant across populations and supports stronger conclusions about differences in risk factors, disease pathways, and treatment responses.

What kinds of contributing factors to disparities are of interest?

The FOA invites research that identifies the most important factors and mechanisms contributing to AD health disparities. Examples listed include social determinants, comorbidities, stress exposures, neighborhood conditions, educational opportunity, access to preventive care, cultural and linguistic barriers, and potential biological susceptibilities.

Does the FOA support research on how multiple factors combine to create disparities?

Yes. It explicitly frames disparities as emerging from interacting influences and encourages research that maps how these factors combine over time to influence differences in risk, diagnosis, progression, and care.

Are caregivers included in the scope of this FOA?

Yes. The FOA emphasizes the role of informal and family caregivers, especially caregivers from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and calls for research on the specific challenges and burdens they face.

What caregiver-related issues does the FOA highlight?

Highlighted issues include financial strain, limited access to respite, competing work and family responsibilities, reduced access to culturally appropriate support, and differences in how caregiving roles are assigned and sustained within families and communities.

What outcomes related to caregiving can be studied under this FOA?

The FOA indicates studies may examine caregiver health and well-being, the quality and continuity of care for the person with dementia, and downstream outcomes such as hospitalization, institutionalization, or delayed diagnosis and treatment.

Does the FOA address disparities in long-term services and supports for dementia?

Yes. A highlighted area is disparities in access to and use of formal long-term supports and services for people with dementia, including why some populations may be less likely to receive, afford, or effectively navigate these services.

What types of long-term supports and services are mentioned?

Examples include home- and community-based supports, adult day services, home health care, memory care programs, nursing facilities, and other long-term care resources.

What kinds of barriers to services does the FOA mention?

The FOA points to structural barriers (geography, insurance coverage, service availability, health system complexity), informational barriers (awareness and literacy), and sociocultural barriers (language, stigma, mistrust, service preferences).

What is the funding mechanism used in this opportunity?

This is an NIH discretionary grant using the R01 mechanism, which typically supports mature, hypothesis-driven research projects suitable for multi-year investigations.

What is the funding activity category and CFDA number?

The funding activity category is Health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.866.

Is this FOA currently open?

As written, it is an archived opportunity. The FOA was created on September 17, 2015, and the original closing date listed is January 7, 2019. The information provided indicates that anyone interested would need to check NIH listings for a reissued or currently active equivalent.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based organizations commonly eligible for NIH grants. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized); Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other eligible organizations as allowed by NIH policy.

Are minority-serving institutions and community-based organizations included as eligible applicants?

Yes. The FOA explicitly notes additional eligible applicants such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and faith-based or community-based organizations.

Are federal agencies or U.S. territories eligible?

Yes. The FOA notes eligible agencies of the federal government and U.S. territories or possessions among the additional eligible applicants.

Can foreign (non-U.S.) organizations apply?

No. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign institutions) are not eligible to apply under this FOA.

Can a U.S. organization include a non-U.S. (foreign) component in the project?

No. The FOA states that non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible and that foreign components (as defined by the NIH Grants Policy Statement) are not allowed. In practical terms, the applicant organization and the proposed work must remain within the allowable U.S. scope under NIH definitions.

What overall impact is this FOA trying to achieve?

The FOA aims to build a stronger scientific foundation for why Alzheimer's disease outcomes and experiences differ across populations and how to reduce those differences. It supports research intended to improve representation in research, identify causes and mechanisms of disparities, strengthen caregiver supports, and improve equitable access to and effective use of long-term services and supports.