The Health Disparities Research Program aims to increase the prominence and impact of research on health disparities at Harvard. The program promotes new collaborative research, education, and training opportunities in the biomedical, clinical, and social sciences to address racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and other disparities in health and health care.
Health Disparities Research Program
What are Health Disparities?
"Areas where there is significant disparity in overall rate of disease incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality, or survival rates in [one] population as compared to the status of the general population." Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act of 2000
The Health Disparities Research Program strengthens capacity and increases opportunities to perform disparities research. The program facilitates Harvard-wide research on health disparities through research and methodology seminars, personalized consultations with senior investigators, networking events, and condition-specific symposia. The program's initiatives engage investigators across disciplines and institutions to foster new and innovative collaborations in health disparities research. The program also facilitates training and mentorship opportunities for junior faculty, fellows, and students interested in health disparities research.
The Health Disparities Research Program works to increase the local and national impact of health disparities research by creating collaborations with local and national clinical and translational science centers (CTSCs) and community partners.
Health Disparities Research Community
The Health Disparities Research Program is identifying a community of investigators interested in health disparities research. Members of this community receive announcements about opportunities and resources for health disparities researchers.
Click here to join the Health Disparities Research Community.
Members of the community may choose to be included in a disparities researcher directory. This publicly-available directory is a resource for investigators seeking collaborators for disparities-related research and for those wanting to learn more about disparities-related research being conducted within the Harvard Catalyst community.
Click here to access and search the Community Directory.
Health Disparities Research Consulting Program
The Harvard Catalyst Health Disparities Research Consulting Program provides Harvard investigators free consultations on research that involves understanding and addressing disparities in health and health care.
Click here to learn more about the
Health Disparities Consulting Program.
Program Director:
John Ayanian, MD, MPP
Professor of Medicine and Health Care Policy
HMS, BWH, and HSPH
Profile | Website
Program Co-Directors:
Jennifer Haas, MD, MSPH
Associate Professor of Medicine
BWH, HMS, and HSPH
Profile | Website
Alexandra Shields, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
MGH, HMS, and the Broad Institute
Profile
LeRoi Hicks, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor of Medicine
BWH, HMS
Profile | Website
Program Staff:
Kathryn Pollenz, MPH
Health Disparities Program Coordinator
HMS
E-Mail
617-432-7357
Faculty Advisory Committee
The Health Disparities Research Program Faculty Advisory Committee represents multiple institutions and disciplines. Members meet quarterly to advise program development to best meet the needs of the diverse Harvard research community.
Click here to download a directory of advisory committee members.
To learn more about the Health Disparities Research Program, contact Kathryn Pollenz.
Image credit: Liza Green, HMS Media Services