Kudos to Eun-Ok Im and Beth Merwin and their entire team for the submission of their NIH T32 application entitled "Research Training on Population Health Using Advanced Analytic Methods and Technology." This proposal requests funding for a five-year period with a start date of July 1, 2018.

Abstract: Compelling evidence calls for a shift in health care research and training—from an emphasis on individual disease conditions to population-level disease prevention, wellness promotion, and management of chronic conditions. Nurses, who have long been at the forefront of community-based and public health initiatives, are in an ideal position to assist in this change by participating in and leading teams of researchers, health care providers, policy makers, and the lay public in a contemporary commitment to strengthen population health. However, lack of significant training in advanced analytics and emerging information technologies reduce the effectiveness of nursing scientists in population health research. This T32 program addresses the national call for training on population health in nursing science, especially in the methodological areas of advanced analytics (AAM) and health information technology (HIT).

The goal of this T32 program is to train nursing scientists to leverage AAM and HIT to improve the health of individuals and populations by reducing disparities in health outcomes. The goal to reduce health disparities through population health initiatives agrees with the over-arching goals of Health People 2020 and the strategic plan of the National Institute of Nursing Research. The specific areas of focus for this training, which build on the strengths of the Duke University School of Nursing’s (DUSON) currently funded research studies, faculty expertise, and supporting infrastructure, are: (a) health promotion and disease prevention, and (b) self-management of chronic conditions including symptom management. Trainees will develop knowledge and skills in interdisciplinary research methods related to population health, understand and apply AAM and/or HIT, and/or develop and test interventions using AAM and/or HIT in population health.