Guest Column: Dr. Gloria Callwood, University of the Virgin Islands
Caribbean Exploratory Research Center focuses on health disparities
Dr. Gloria Callwood
Health disparities are differences in occurrence, severity, diseases, and life expectancy between groups.
While disparities in health and health care have an impact on everyone, minority populations are affected the most.
The University of the Virgin Islands School of Nursing established the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center of Excellence in 2007 to address health disparities. This center researches several important areas and hosts annual institutes, which bring together researchers to share the result of their findings with our community.
Multiple factors contribute to racial and ethnic health disparities.These include socioeconomic factors, personal behaviors, social environment and access to care. Research is needed to more clearly identify the risk factors, which can be modified though effective interventions.
There are few documented research studies focused on the health status of residents of the Virgin Islands. Evidence from National Behavior Risk Surveys of Virgin Islanders indicates disproportionately high incidents of diabetes, hypertension and HIV/AIDS. Data that is collected locally related to the health of our population is not in easily retrievable formats, conducive to analysis. The Caribbean Exploratory Research Center is filling a void in the availability of data by conducting research in many areas.
The Center is organized into four cores to carry out its mission. The Administrative Core is responsible for the overall management of the Center. The Research and Training Core facilitates research among University faculty and the community
The Community Core provides health information and screening for members of the community, and the Research Core sends out calls for proposals for pilot studies and reviews them for their merit and consideration for funding. This core is also responsible for monitoring current studies.
We are fortunate to have consultants who are accomplished researchers from major research intensive universities that mentor the faculty and staff at the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center. The Center's research studies include two with a focus on diabetes; a study on 'Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs of Parenting Women at Risk for HIV'; a study on 'Women's Health'; a study on 'Knowledge of Risks for Breast Cancer'; a Men's survey asking what health topics they wished to have information about; and a survey of college-aged persons, probing their knowledge of HPV. The major study being conducted by the Center focuses on 'Intimate Partner Relationships.'
Providing feedback to the community about its activities and research findings is an important responsibility of the Center. In addition to the annual Institute, the center hosts community forums and workshops to share the results of the Center's work.
UVI's Caribbean Exploratory Research Center of Excellence is funded by a five-year, $6.1 million grant from the National Center on MinorityHealth and Health Disparities, which was established by the United States Congress In 2000.
It has had the effect of raising the issue of health disparities to a critical national priority. Since then, there has been increasing awareness and interest in health disparities and support for eliminating these inequities.
Photo of Dr. Gloria Callwood courtesy University of the Virgin Islands
Dr. Gloria Callwood is Director of the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center
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