The Core will be involved in the design of the database to ensure it will be usable for tracking of incidence, prevalence, and geographic and demographic variables, evaluation of treatment and intervention efficacy. In addition, the collaborative effort will ensure protection of privacy of individuals and sensitive communities. The purpose is to reduce health disparities and to reduce distrust of research in American Indian communities by increasing the capacity of the community and university partners for participatory research. The proposed collaboration will focus on an inclusive, participatory process to advocate for American Indian health and well-being and to build capacity within the American Indian communities to identify, prioritize and address the public health of the community. In addition, the commitment from UNM to increase educational and training opportunities for tribal members as UNM students will facilitate direct tribal involvement in not only community-based projects, but laboratory studies as well, providing increased diversity of skills to tribal communities in answering questions related to environmental health concerns.
Council decision is pending on that project.
The collaboration will use participatory research methods in identifying environmental health concerns and developing research, agency policy, and educational initiatives to address those concerns collaboratively. Through the association with Family Practice, the Core will also be involved in efforts underway to improve health care by integrating service providers in Bernalillo County. This initiative involves integration of UNM Family Practice clinics with substance abuse treatment programs, indigent care and Medicaid providers, as well as the tribal, non-reservation service providers within Albuquerque. The non-reservation tribal members living in Albuquerque are seen by the tribes and IHS as a community at risk as tribes move to contract their health care away from the IHS system. The non-reservation community members can slip through the cracks and find themselves not eligible for care through IHS, depending on the terms of the compacts.