NIH Working Group Provides Report on Importance of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research

Posted: 5/24/2021 (Demography News)

An NIH Working Group documenting the trans-institute contributions of behavioral and social sciences researchers and research has just published a report that should be of interest to many CSDE affiliates and trainees. In their executive summary, they point to how COVID-19 transmission, structural racism, health disparities, firearm violence, and opioid addiction are among the urgent public health issues that are predominantly social and behavioral in nature. Effectively addressing these issues requires a robust basic behavioral and social sciences research (bBSSR) agenda that can support new and innovative approaches to understanding and changing behavior and social systems. A working group of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Council of Councils was established to identify promising and emerging areas of bBSSR relevant to the NIH mission, determine which of these areas of research are not adequately supported by current NIH investments, and examine if these research needs can be addressed by individual Institutes and Centers (ICs) or require trans-NIH efforts to accomplish. To read the report in detail, click here.