For more than 35 years, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has led the Nation in bringing 

the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction through the support and conduct of 

research across a broad range of disciplines, and by ensuring the rapid and effective dissemination of 

research results to improve prevention and treatment and inform policy.

Racial/ethnic populations have been disproportionately affected by the consequences of drug abuse 

and addiction. To better understand and address the drug abuse and addiction research needs of these 

populations, NIDA established the Special Populations Office (SPO) and developed a Strategic Plan on 

Reducing Health Disparities. Through these vehicles, NIDA continues to systematically and aggressively 

pursue this goal. To learn more about health disparities research at NIDA, visit the NIDA Health 

Disparities page at http://www.drugabuse.gov/about/organization/healthdisparities/.

Special Populations Office

The SPO is at the center of addressing NIDA’s health disparities research efforts. It works to address 

the training and career development needs of individuals from underrepresented populations and 

ensures that issues related to racial/ethnic populations are adequately represented in NIDA-supported 

drug abuse research. To learn more, visit the SPO home page at http://www.drugabuse.gov/about/

organization/SPO/SPOHome.html.

Strategic Plan on Health Disparities Research

NIDA is pursuing four major areas of research as part of its strategic plan on health disparities:

(1) Epidemiology of Drug Abuse and its Health Consequences Among Racial/Ethnic Minority 

Populations. Focuses on understanding the incidence, patterns, and causes of drug abuse and on 

developing better measures and designs to appropriately assess drug abuse, addiction, and related 

behaviors in racial/ethnic minority populations. The goals of this effort are to: n Enhance knowledge about the origins and patterns of drug abuse and addiction and examine 

both risk and protective factors; and

n Identify short- and long-term effects of drug use, abuse, and addiction on overall health 

(including physical, mental, and emotional health) and related consequences (e.g., violence 

and crime).

(2) Prevention of Drug Abuse and Addiction. Focuses on the need for more culturally specific drug 

abuse prevention strategies for health disparity populations in high-risk settings and underserved, 

hard-to-reach communities, including rural, low income, and other underserved populations. The 

goals of this effort are to: n Support prevention research, ensuring that new directions (e.g., research-to-practice 

initiatives) include individuals from the above groups and incorporate new health disparityspecific concepts (e.g., acculturation-stress reduction, the role of ethnic identity in 

substance abuse prevention, and access to services); 

n Develop effective, culturally specific drug abuse prevention strategies for health disparity 

populations at increased risk for drug abuse, including those in detention or juvenile 

correctional facilities and rural populations (e.g., persons on Indian reservations and migrants 

or seasonal farm workers); and

n Reduce HIV risk, criminal involvement, and other drug abuse consequences that are 

disproportionately greater among racial/ethnic minority groups.

(3) Disparities in Treatment and Health Services Research. Focuses on the full inclusion of racial/

ethnic minority and rural populations in treatment research and clinical trials and the examination 

of medical, social, and cultural factors that may influence adherence to treatment and treatment 

outcomes. The goals of this effort are to: n Increase the number of treatment research studies focusing on racial/ethnic minority and 

rural populations and improve the dissemination of the study results; and

n Determine the factors contributing to differences, if any, experienced by racial/ethnic 

minority and rural populations in access to services and in treatment outcomes.

Health 

Disparities 

Research 

at the 

National 

Institute on 

Drug Abuse 

Resources

Grant Writing Tips

Researchers can access general grant writing 

tutorials and information on research design at the 

National Library of Medicine’s NIH Grant Tutorials 

section: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/Tutorial.html.

NIDA Publications Related to Racial/Ethnic 

Populations or With Sections on Racial/

Ethnic Populations

Beatty, L.A. (2003). Changing their minds: Drug 

abuse and addiction in Black women. In D. Brown 

and V. Keith (Eds.) In and Out of Our Right Minds, 

The Mental Health of African American Women. New 

York: Columbia University Press, 59–79, http://cup.

columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-11378-6/in-and-outof-our-right-minds

Beatty, L.A., Jones, D.J, Doctor, L. (2005). Reducing 

HIV/AIDS and criminal justice involvement in African 

Americans as a consequence of drug abuse. Journal 

of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 16(4, 

Suppl B), 1–5, Johns Hopkins University Press, (800-

548-1784), http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_

of_health_care_for_the_poor_and_underserved/toc/

hpu16.4B.html

Beatty, L.A. (2007). Introduction. Journal of 

Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 6, 11–13, 

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=jo

ur~content=a903350639

Beatty, L.A. (2009). Drug abuse research: Addressing 

the needs of racial/ethnic minority populations. 

In L. Scheier (Ed.) The handbook of drug use 

etiology: Theory, methods, and empirical findings. 

Washington, DC: APA Books, http://www.apa.org/

pubs/books/4311501.aspx

Carroll, K.M., Rosa, C., Brown, Jr. L.S., Daw, R., 

Magruder, K.M., and Beatty, L. (2007). Addressing 

ethnic disparities in drug abuse treatment in the 

clinical trials network. Drug Abuse and Dependence, 

90, 101–106, http://ctndisseminationlibrary.org/

display/167.htm

Differential Drug Use, HIV/AIDS, and Related Health 

Outcomes Among Racial and Ethnic Populations: 

A Knowledge Assessment Workshop. 2001. (2002). 

Public Health Reports, 117 (Suppl 1). Oxford Press, 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/issues/145676/

Jones, D., and Crump, A. (2005). Methodological 

challenges in conducting health disparities 

research. Journal of Urban Health, 82(2, Suppl 3), 

iii1–iii4, http://www.springerlink.com/content/

a877053769574428/

Jones, D.J., and Roberts, G.W. (2009). Substance 

abuse, HIV and mental health issues: Prevention 

and treatment challenges. In V. Stone, B.O. Ojikutu, 

(Eds.) HIV/AIDS in U.S. Communities of Color, New 

York: Springer, 228–244, http://www.springer.com/

public+health/book/978-0-387-98151-2

Merikangas, K.R., Conway, K.P., Swendsen, J., Febo, 

V., Dierker, L., Brunetto, W., Stolar, M., and Canino, 

G. (2009). Substance use and behavior disorders in 

Puerto Rican youth: A migrant family study. Journal 

of Epidemiology and Community Health, 63, 310–316, 

http://jech.bmj.com/content/63/4/310.abstract

National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2003). Drug Use 

Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Revised, http://

archives.drugabuse.gov/pubs/minorities/

Thomas, Y.F., and Compton, W.M. (2007). Rural 

populations are not protected from drug use and 

abuse. The Journal of Rural Health, 23 (Suppl 

1–3), http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/

journal/118541342/issue

Weiss, S.R., Kung, H.C., and Pearson, J.L. (2003). 

Emerging issues in gender and ethnic differences in 

substance abuse and treatment. Current Women’s 

Health Reports, 3(3), 245–253, http://www.

drugabuse.gov/whgd/pdfs/Weiss.pdf

NIDA Publications in Spanish

Serie de Reportes de Investigación: El VIH/SIDA (HIV/

AIDS––Research Report Series) (2007)

Serie de Reportes de Investigacion: Abuso de la 

MDMA (Extasis) (MDMA (Ecstasy) Abuse––Research 

Report Series) (2006)

Serie de Reportes de Investigacion: Abuso de la 

Marihuana (Marijuana––Research Report Series) (2011)

La marihuana: Lo que los padres deben saber 

(Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know) (2007)

Como Prevenir el Uso de Drogas en los Ninos y los 

Adolescentes. Una guia con base cientifica para 

padres, educadores y lideres de la comunidad – 

Segunda Edición, Versión Abreviada (Preventing 

Drug Use Among Children and Adolescents...In Brief 

Edition 2004)

La Marihuana: Información para Los Adolescentes 

(Marijuana: Facts for Teens) (2005)

Serie de Reportes de Investigación: Adicción al 

Tabaco (Tobacco Addiction – Research Report Series) 

(2010)

Principios de Tratamiento para la Drogadicción: Una 

Guia Basada en Investigaciónes (Principles of Drug 

Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide) (2010)

Juventud Latina: Hable con sus Hijos Sobre las 

Drogas y sus Peligros (Talk to Your Children about 

Drugs and their Dangers) (2006)

NIDA Publications of General Interest

Drugs, Brains, and Behavior––The Science of 

Addiction (2010)

Principles of Drug Abuse Treatment for Criminal 

Justice Populations (2009)

Preventing Drug Use Among Children and 

Adolescents: A Research-Based Guide for Parents, 

Educators, and Community Leaders, Second Edition 

(2003)

Principles of HIV Prevention in Drug-Using 

Populations: A Research-Based Guide (2002)

Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A 

Research-Based Guide (2009)

The publications listed above are available at 

http://drugpubs.drugabuse.gov/ through the NIDA 

DrugPubs Research Dissemination Center. For 

questions, contact 1-877-NIDA-NIH (1-877-643-2644) 

or drugpubs@nida.nih.gov 

Talk to NIDA

Health Disparities/Special Populations

Lula Beatty, Ph.D.

Director, Special Populations Office

(301) 443-0441, lbeatty@nida.nih.gov

Diversity Supplements

Pamela Goodlow

Public Health Analyst, Special Populations Office

(301) 443-0441, pgoodlow@nida.nih.gov

Research Seminar Series

Flair Lindsey

Program Analyst, Special Populations Office

(301) 443-0441, flindsey@nida.nih.gov

Summer Research with NIDA

Tamara D. Willis, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Contractor, Research Analyst

Special Populations Office

(301) 443-0441, willistd@nida.nih.gov

Flair Lindsey

Program Analyst, Special Populations Office

(301) 443-0441, flindsey@nida.nih.gov

HIV/AIDS

Jacques Normand, Ph.D.

Director, AIDS Research Program

(301) 443-1470, jnormand@nida.nih.gov

Dionne Jones, Ph.D.

Deputy Branch Chief, Services Research Branch

Division of Epidemiology, Services and 

Prevention Research

(301) 402-1984, dj99r@nih.gov

Health Services/Criminal Justice

Redonna K. Chandler, Ph.D.

Branch Chief, Services Research Branch

Division of Epidemiology, Services and 

Prevention Research

(301) 443-6504, redonna.chandler@nih.hhs.gov

Dionne Jones, Ph.D.

Deputy Branch Chief, Services Research Branch

Division of Epidemiology, Services and 

Prevention Research

(301) 402-1984, dj99r@nih.gov

Research Training

Mimi M. Ghim, Ph.D.

Deputy Research Training Coordinator

Office of Science Policy and Communications

(301) 443-6071, ghimm@nida.nih.gov

Treatment

Lisa Onken, Ph.D.

Chief, Behavioral Treatment Branch

Division of Clinical Neuroscience and

Behavioral Research

(301) 443-2235, lonken@nida.nih.gov

Epidemiology

Marsha Lopez, Ph.D.

Chief, Epidemiology Research Branch

Division of Epidemiology, Services and 

Prevention Research

(301) 443-6504, lopezmar@nida.nih.gov

Prevention

Aria Crump, Sc.D.

Health Scientist Administrator, 

Prevention Research Branch

Division of Epidemiology, Services and 

Prevention Research

(301) 435-0881, acrump@nida.nih.gov

Clinical Trials Network

Carmen Rosa, M.S.

Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Behavior 

and Social Sciences Team

Center for Clinical Trials Network

(301) 443-9830, crosa@nida.nih.gov

Public Information/Publications

Carol Krause

Chief, Public Information and Liaison Branch

Office of Science Policy and Communications

(301) 443-1124, krausec@nida.nih.gov

For any additional information,

visit NIDA on line at

www.drugabuse.gov.

National Institutes of Health

Department of Health 

and Human Services

Printed November 2010.
(4) Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Basic and Clinical Neurosciences. Focuses on research to better 

understand the racial/ethnic differences in biological vulnerability and resilience to drug abuse 

and addiction. The goal of this effort is to increase the number of neuroscience, genetic and 

epigenetic, clinical neuroscience, and basic behavioral science studies focusing on racial/ethnic 

minorities, low socioeconomic status (SES), and social stressors.

Research Capacity Building

Valid health disparities research requires a research infrastructure that includes well-informed and 

trained scientists, knowledgeable and cooperative communities (e.g., community-based organizations, 

professional associations, faith community, tribal councils), and academic institutions with competency 

and interest in health disparities research. NIDA’s goals are to:

n Increase and improve drug abuse and addiction research development and training experiences for

students, especially those from groups underrepresented in science; 

n Establish new and strengthen existing programs to provide research development and support 

opportunities for faculty and investigators interested in health disparities research; 

n Increase the capacity of academic institutions to conduct health disparities research in drug abuse 

and addiction; and 

n Involve the broader professional and lay communities in addressing health disparities related to 

drug abuse and addiction.

Community Outreach, Information Dissemination, and Public Health Education

NIDA is committed to broadly disseminating our research findings to diverse audiences, including 

racial/ethnic minority populations. Our goals are to:

n Educate racial/ethnic minority populations about drug abuse and addiction prevention and

treatment strategies as well as identify and improve mechanisms for disseminating research 

findings;

n Put research into practice in health disparity communities by providing science-based prevention 

and treatment information to healthcare providers serving these populations; and

n Educate the research and practice communities about the state-of-the-science in drug abuse and 

addiction research in health disparity populations.

Integration of Research, Capacity Building, and Outreach Goals

Through coordinated collaborative approaches involving research, capacity building, and outreach, 

NIDA is dedicated to educating the field on strategies for reducing health disparities in addiction and 

related comorbidities (e.g., HIV/AIDS), including greater risk for criminal justice involvement among 

minority populations.

Research Training Opportunities

The SPO offers an array of research training opportunities, which encourage the involvement of 

researchers and scientists from underrepresented groups.

Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research is an NIH-wide program that 

provides funding to enable principal investigators to expand their research teams by adding students or 

investigators from underrepresented groups, PA-08-190. (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/

PA-08-190.html)

Special Populations Research Development Seminar Series is a series of seminars designed to 

provide technical assistance on proposal development and grant applications, research methods and 

design, scientific writing, and the peer review process to scholars from groups underrepresented in the 

behavioral and biomedical sciences.

Summer Research with NIDA is a program that introduces high school and undergraduate students to 

drug abuse research through placements with NIDA grantees.

Research and Training Program for Under-represented Populations is an intramural research 

program that provides high school, undergraduate, graduate, and medical students and faculty with an 

opportunity to work with leading NIDA scientists in a laboratory setting during the summer.

NIDA also offers research training opportunities through the National Research Services Awards 

and the NIH-Wide Career Development Awards. Visit http://www.drugabuse.gov/researchtraining/

traininghome.html for more information.

Other Programs/Activities

Initiative on Criminal Justice and HIV/AIDS

NIDA’s special emphasis on addressing the disproportionate occurrence of HIV/AIDS and criminal 

justice involvement among African Americans and other racial/ethnic minority populations is designed 

to elucidate the causes and interactions of these consequences with substance abuse. A number of 

funding opportunities, meetings, and conferences have been developed to support the initiative’s 

goals.

NIDA Racial/Ethnic Minority Work Groups

Work groups comprising experts in substance abuse and addiction or health concerns of racial/ethnic 

minority populations advise the NIDA director on research needed to further effective prevention and 

treatment approaches and to support mentoring and career development for early career scientists. 

Work groups exist for African American, Hispanic, Asian American/Pacific Islander, and American 

Indian/Alaska Native communities.

National Hispanic Science Network

The National Hispanic Science Network (NHSN) evolved from NIDA’s Hispanic work group. The Network 

is designed to enhance communication; increase dissemination of research knowledge to practitioners, 

clinicians, and the public; and mentor students and scientists interested in drug abuse and addiction 

research in Hispanic populations. More information can be obtained at http://nhsn.med.miami.edu/.

Research Funding Opportunities 

NIDA sponsors the following minority and health disparities-focused research opportunities: 

n Diversity-promoting Institutions Drug Abuse Research Program (DIDARP) (R24), PAR-09-011 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-09-011.html). This ongoing program is designed 

to increase the drug abuse and addiction research capacity of institutions that historically and/or

currently serve students from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. Grants are provided

to foster the research career development of a diverse cadre of students, faculty, and staff

underrepresented in drug abuse research.

n HIV/AIDS, Drug Use, and Vulnerable Populations in the U.S. (R01), (R21), PA-09-237 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-236.html). This funding opportunity supports

research to identify the role(s) of drug abuse in fueling the HIV/AIDS epidemic in vulnerable groups

(racial/ethnic minorities, men who have sex with men, youth); develop effective interventions to

prevent new infections; and improve the health and well-being of those living with HIV/AIDS. 

To advance our health disparities goals, applications may be submitted in response to many NIDA/NIH 

program announcements, including:

• Drug Abuse Aspects of HIV/AIDS (R01), (R21), (R03), PA-10-129, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/

pa-files/PA-10-129.html)

• Collaborative Clinical Trials in Drug Abuse (Collaborative R01), PAR-10-099, (http://grants.nih.gov/

grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-099.html)

• Technology-Based Adherence Interventions for Substance Abusing Populations with HIV (R01), (R34), 

PAS-10-097, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAS-10-097.html)

• Drug Abuse Dissertation Research: Epidemiology, Prevention, Treatment, Services, and/or Women 

and Sex/Gender Differences (R36), PAR-10-020, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR10-020.html)

• Accelerating the Pace of Drug Abuse Research Using Existing Epidemiology, Prevention, and 

Treatment Research Data (R01), PAR-10-018, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-

018.html)

• Behavioral & Integrative Treatment Development Program (R01), (R03), (R34), PA-10-012, 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-012.html)

• Cutting-Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) (R21), PAR-09-222, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/

guide/pa-files/PAR-09-222.html)

• International Research Collaboration on Drug Abuse and Addiction Research (R01), (R21), (R03), PA09-020, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-020.html)

• Health Services Research on the Prevention and Treatment of Drug and Alcohol Abuse (R01), (R21), 

(R03), PA-08-263, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-263.html)

• Unique Interactions Between Tobacco Use and HIV/AIDS (R01), (R03), PA-08-253, (http://grants.nih.

gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-253.html)

• Drug Abuse Prevention Intervention Research (R01), (R21), (R03), PA-08-217, (http://grants.nih.gov/

grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-217.html)

• Economics of Treatment and Prevention Services for Drug & Alcohol Abuse (R01), (R21), (R03), PA08-174, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-174.html)

• Epidemiology of Drug Abuse (R01), (R21), (R03), PA-08-124, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pafiles/PA-08-124.html)

• Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R01), (R21), (R03), PAR-10-038, 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-10-038.html)

• NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21), PA-09-164, (http://grants.nih.

gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-164.html)

• Women’s Mental Health in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period (R01), (R21), PA-09-174, 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-174.html)

• NIH Small Research Grant Program (Parent R03), PA-09-163, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pafiles/PA-09-163.html)

• Basic and Translational Research in Emotion (R01), PA-09-137, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/

pa-files/PA-09-137.html)

• Reducing Risk Behaviors by Promoting Positive Youth Development (R01), (R03), PA-08-241, 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-241.html)

• Integrating Biobehavioral and Sociocultural Research to Prevent HIV Transmission and Infection 

(R01), (R21), PA-08-188, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-188.html)

• The Effect of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination/Bias on Health Care Delivery (R01), (R21), (R03), PA08-083, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-083.html)

• Community Participation Research Targeting the Medically Underserved (R01), (R21), PAR-08-075, 

(http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-075.html)

• Community Participation in Research (R01), PA-08-074, (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pafiles/PA-08-074.html)