mHealth Tools to Promote Effective Patient-Provider Communication, Adherence to Treatment  and Self Management of Chronic Diseases In Underserved Populations (R01)
Deadline: February 5, 2012 The purpose of this initiative issued by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) is to stimulate research utilizing Mobile Health (mHealth) tools aimed at the improvement of effective patient-provider communication, adherence to treatment and self-management of chronic diseases in underserved populations. With the rapid expansion of cellular networks and substantial advancements in Smartphone technologies, it is now possible - and affordable - to transmit patient data digitally from remote areas to specialists in urban areas, receive real-time feedback, and capture that consultation in a database.  mHealth tools, therefore, may facilitate more timely and effective patient-provider communication through education communication around goal setting, treatment reminders, feedback on patient progress and may improve health outcomes. This announcement encourages the development, testing and comparative effective analysis of interventions utilizing mHealth technologies in underserved populations. Click here for more information.  

Metadata for Long-standing Large-Scale Social Science Surveys (META-SSS)
Deadline: January 31, 2011
The American National Election Studies (ANES), General Social Survey (GSS) and Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) are long-term survey projects that form key research infrastructure for the social and behavioral sciences. The value of these three projects depends in part on data accessibility and ease of use. These data dissemination activities provide value far beyond the original data collection effort. That value consists of providing access and tools that enable dissemination to a wide range of user communities-- from social scientists to advance knowledge and test theories, to teachers in secondary schools to explain basic statistical and analytic methods, to citizens outside of the higher education and research communities who use the data to generate basic descriptive statistics and graphs. This solicitation seeks proposals that will develop tools to bridge data collection and dissemination by first, collecting and coding metadata associated with future waves of the ANES, GSS, and PSID surveys as collection and processing techniques evolve; and second, migrating (or "retrofitting") metadata associated with earlier (i.e., legacy) waves of these surveys into formats and schema that are compatible with current and future collection efforts. The goal is to fund projects that will help make the many years of legacy data available to researchers who seek to answer current scientific questions. Click here for more information.   

Healthy Habits: Timing for Developing Sustainable Healthy Behaviors in Children and Adolescents (R01)
Deadline: September 7, 2014
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) with participation from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR), is to encourage Research Project Grant (R01) applications that employ innovative research to identify mechanisms of influence and/or promote positive sustainable health behavior(s) in children and youth (birth to age 18). Positive health behaviors may include: developing healthy sleep patterns, developing effective self-regulation strategies, adaptive decision-making in risk situations, practicing proper dental hygiene, eating a balanced and nutritious diet, engaging in age-appropriate physical activity and/or participating in healthy relationships. Click here for more information.  

Basic Research on Decision Making: Cognitive, Affective, and Developmental Perspectives (R01)
Deadline: December 18, 2011 (Letter of intent)
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued as part of the NIH Basic Behavioral and Social Sciences Opportunity Network (OppNet), encourages research grant applications that propose to increase understanding of the basic cognitive, affective, motivational, and social processes that underlie decision making across the lifespan.  This includes an appreciation of the interactions among the psychological, neurobiological, and behavioral processes in decision making.  It also includes consideration of the mediating and/or moderating influences of genetics, physiology, the social environment, and culture. Click here for more information.   

Secondary Analyses of Social and Behavioral Datasets in Aging (R03)
Deadline: May 7, 2012
This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), issued by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), is seeking small grant (R03) applications to conduct secondary analysis of social and behavioral data in aging. Specifically, NIA seeks applicants to: 1) stimulate and facilitate secondary analysis of data related to dynamics of health and disability, cognition, psychosocial and sociodemographic factors, genetics, and biomarkers, long term care, caregiving, behavioral medicine, retirement, economic status; 2) provide support for preliminary projects using secondary analysis that could lead to subsequent applications for other research grant award mechanisms; 3) provide support for analyses of new databases and experimental modules for purposes such as informing the design and content of future study waves; and 4) provide support for pilot research on under-utilized databases. The R03 grant mechanism supports different types of projects including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology. The R03 is intended to support small research projects that can be carried out in a short period of time with limited resources. Click here for more information.  

Provost's Career Enhancement Postdoctoral Scholarships

As part of an effort to promote a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences among its faculty as set forth in the University of Chicago Diversity Statement, the University of Chicago invites nominations and applications for the Provost's Career Enhancement Postdoctoral Scholarship (PCEPS).Successful candidates will be selected on the basis of academic achievement, scholarly promise, potential to add to the diversity of the University community, and the likelihood that the individual may become a qualified and competitive candidate for a faculty position at the University of Chicago upon the completion of the Scholarship. Each cohort of PCEPS holders will include at least one scholar whose research furthers the mission of the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture. Click here for more information.

POSTDOC OPPORTUNITY: BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES HIV RESEARCH
Deadline: October 1, 2011
Do you think that social science research is an important part of the solution to the HIV/AIDS epidemic?  Do you have a doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D., etc.), or are you about to complete one? Do you want to receive further training to become an independent HIV/AIDS researcher? If so, you might be interested in our NIMH-funded postdoctoral training program, focusing on HIV, gender, and human sexuality at the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies (Columbia University New York). You can learn more about the program by visiting the website. Trainees receive up to three years of support for stipends, health insurance, travel for conferences, and research. An application form can be found at the website. One position for our training program will become available January 2012. If you want to be considered for this position you have to make sure that we received your application form not later than October 1, 2011. The deadline for applications for positions becoming available as of July 2012 is January 2, 2012.   

Post-Doctoral Position in Social Science and Infectious Disease
Deadline: September 12, 2011
The Goldberg Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for a post-doctoral researcher to study human social drivers of zoonotic disease in Sub-Saharan Africa.   The post-doc will be an integral member of a new, international, NIH-funded project focused on the biological and human dimensions of primate infectious disease transmission in Uganda, including social drivers of human-primate contact and zoonotic transmission.  This is a unique opportunity for a post-doctoral scholar with training in the social sciences to study human-wildlife conflict/contact and health and disease in a highly relevant ecological setting. Click here for more information.  

Medicare steps up enforcement of equal visitation and representation rights in hospitals

(From the Center for Advancing Health)

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new guidance to support enforcement of rules that protect hospital patients' right to choose their own visitors during a hospital stay, including a visitor who is a same-sex domestic partner. These rules, finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in November, apply to all hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid.  The guidance also supports enforcement of the right of patients to designate the person of their choice, including a same-sex partner, to make medical decisions on their behalf should they become incapacitated. Click here for more information.

Sponsored by the BU School of Social Work

www.bu.edu/ssw