Description
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is conducting a market survey to assess the availability and potential technical capability of small business firms to perform as Community Field Centers to establish a new population-based cohort to address key population gaps in the health of Native Americans (NAs) and to enhance understanding of the leading causes and risks of heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) conditions in NA populations. The proposed acquisition represents a strategic expansion of the existing Strong Heart Study (SHS) program and its prior research infrastructure. The objective of this proposed acquisition is to designate Clinical or Community Field Centers (FCs) to establish a new population-based cohort to address key population research gaps in the health of Native Americans (NAs) and to enhance understanding of the leading causes and risks of heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) conditions in NA populations.
• Establish a new cohort of ~4,000 young adults across all field center (FC) sites through the development of collaborative partnerships with Tribal communities and stakeholders.
• Obtain Tribal reviews and approvals of planned research in the form of Tribal resolutions of support, Memoranda of Understanding, or equivalent documents.
• Establish the Field Center (FC) staffing infrastructure, including activation of clinical community sites and empaneling a Community Advisory Board/Group.
• Develop communication plans to conduct regular community engagement activities and events, promote health education and healthy behaviors, and provide updates on study progress and outcomes.
• Develop and approve standardized study protocols in collaboration with the Steering Committee (SC), including preparation of required consents (including Tribal and participant); harmonized clinic forms (including translations as needed); questionnaires to capture lifestyle and health behaviors; biospecimen collection, storage, and management; and plans for the analysis of blood and urine.