Addiction among the focus areas of federally supported health disparities project at university

A $9.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will result in the establishment of the Health Disparities Initiative at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami, with substance abuse among the areas of focus. The initiative will feature the work of doctoral-level researchers exploring prevention and treatment strategies for addiction, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and obesity in vulnerable populations, an April 7 news release stated.

FIU is receiving the grant from NIH's National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. “This endowment means that FIU is on track to become one of the premier health disparities academic training and research programs in the country, serving the region of the United States and the Western Hemisphere that is most in need of such a program,” said Mario De La Rosa, whose roles at FIU include directing the Center for Research on U.S. Latino HIV/AIDS and Drug Abuse.

The endowment will help to establish a doctoral track in health disparities at the university's Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, as well as support three endowed faculty positions for experts in health disparities.