Evaluating interventions to reduce health care disparities: an RWJF program

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Health Disparities Research
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Racial and ethnic disparities persist in cardiovascular disease, depression, and diabetes.
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Finding Answers program aimed to fund research addressing these disparities.
• Evaluating interventions is crucial for reducing health inequities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the types of interventions proposed and funded to address racial and ethnic health disparities.
• To identify the focus areas of funded research projects.
• To highlight gaps in intervention strategies, particularly policy-based approaches.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 177 applications submitted to the Finding Answers program in 2006.
• Categorization of proposed intervention strategies.
• Review of the eleven subsequently funded projects.

Main Results:

• Patient or provider education (57%) was the most common proposed intervention.
• Community health workers, case management, integrated care, and cultural modification were also prevalent (24-25%).
• Policy interventions, such as pay-for-performance (P4P), were notably absent in proposed strategies.

Conclusions:

• Funded interventions often target patients, providers, communication, organizations, and communities.
• There is a need for greater emphasis on policy-level interventions to address systemic drivers of health disparities.
• Future research should explore innovative policy and systemic approaches to reduce racial and ethnic health inequities.