The Health of the Population [HOP] IRG reviews applications for research on the broader socioenvironmental contexts in which health and health-related behavior are embedded and in which the interaction of these socioenvironmental factors with the health and health-related behavior of individuals and populations is examined. The socioenvironmental factors studied may include social class, socioeconomic conditions, cultural factors and processes, institutions, social organization, social networks, neighborhood and regional characteristics, media, policies, social and family group membership, and racial and ethnic identity. Specific areas of interest reviewed within the HOP IRG include (but are not limited to): studies of socioenvironmental influences on health, behavior, and development; community and organizational interventions for the prevention and modification of risk behaviors; multi-level, multi-contextual studies, behavioral genetics and heritability studies; population processes, composition and distribution, their antecedents and consequences, and their inter-relationships with social, cultural, economic, behavioral, developmental and biomedical factors and processes; health services research on the antecedents and consequences of health services utilization, including multidisciplinary investigations of factors affecting access, organization, costs, quality, and the financing of health services; methodological issues, various statistical techniques, and modeling of phenomena relevant to behavioral and social science research; description, detection, etiology, prevention, treatment, and control of chronic and communicable diseases in the community; basic and applied research of responses to actual or potential health problems, especially symptom management in acute or chronic illness, approaches to promoting health and preventing disease, and interventions influencing patient health outcomes and reducing costs, nursing systems, and ethics; and occupational or work environments and their relationship to health and well-being of the workers.

The following study sections are included within the HOP IRG:

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Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology Study Section [BGES]

[BGES Roster]

The Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology [BGES] Study Section reviews applications for multi-level, multi-contextual studies, behavioral genetics and heritability studies, and behavioral epidemiologic studies which seek an understanding of the origins, multiple etiologies, natural histories, and consequences of a wide range of behaviors, disorders, diseases, normal functioning, and public health concerns. Applications may include qualitative and quantitative methods and may integrate multiple factors and multiple levels of analysis from the biological to social and cultural levels. Studies may use multidisciplinary perspectives and focus on interactions among individual, family, group, and community factors in either the general population or defined subpopulations with special needs such as the very young, the elderly, minority groups, and those at risk for drug and alcohol abuse and transmission of HIV, TB, HBV, and HCV. Studies may include factors which influence temporal trends, such as economic conditions and beliefs of historic cohorts, and may address the etiologies and consequences of behaviors, physical, mental, and substance abuse problems and the aging process as they vary across individuals, families, generation, age, sex, and populations with different predisposing or protective factors and co-morbid conditions.

Specific areas covered by BGES:

·        Multi-level, multi-contextual studies, including studies of development, health, risk, resilience, disease, and risky behaviors embedded within the context of biological, psychological, social, environmental, and cultural factors. This includes, but is not limited to, studies of interactive effects of risk and protective factors within the individual, family, neighborhood, and environment on physical, psychiatric and/or substance use disorders, recovery, and/or sustained health. Studies may focus simultaneously on multiple levels, pathways, and causes of normal and problem behaviors. Studies may examine the cumulative impact of multiple interacting factors affecting different stages of human development, clinical course, or range of outcomes to identify factors that appear to exert influence and to examine direct and mediating factors. Studies may focus on aspects of normal development and competencies; effects of technological change on health and human functioning; precocious and delayed development as functions of biologic, environmental and experiential factors; and emerging issues.

·        Behavioral genetic studies, including studies of the heritability, familial/kinship, parental, social, and environmental influences on the phenotypic expression of genotypes. Studies include population-based or clinically-ascertained family, twin, and adoption studies that incorporate environmental risk factor identification and measurement.

·        Behavioral epidemiology, including descriptive, analytic, and genetic epidemiology in both general and specific population groups and international cross-cultural studies. Surveys, surveillance, and related behavioral and social studies are included that are informative of trends and emerging health-related problems and issues.

·        Natural catastrophes and traumatic events, including studies of individual, familial, group, and community factors and dynamics that may predispose and/or result from natural catastrophes and traumatic events affecting a population or region [e.g., fire, hurricane, terrorism, violence, and crime]. Studies may nest in-depth studies of individuals, community characteristics, expectations, trauma from prior experience, decision-making, group process, short and long term consequences and develop theoretical models of the impact of such events.

BGES has the following shared interests within the HOP IRG:

·         With Biostatistical Methods and Research Design [BMRD]: BMRD also reviews applications that focus on high-risk behavior, that are multi-level, or that emphasize the relationships between socioenvironmental factors and health-related behavior. Applications in which the primary emphasis is upon the development of new statistical methodology or the improvement of existing research designs may be reviewed by BMRD.

·         With Community Influences on Health Behavior [CIHB] and Community-Level Health Promotion [CLHP]: CLHP and CIHB also review applications that focus upon high-risk behavior. Applications that rely primarily upon genetic factors or emphasize use of epidemiological methods may be reviewed in BGES.

·         With Cardiovascular and Sleep Epidemiology [CASE]; Epidemiology of Cancer [EPIC]; Infectious Diseases, Reproductive Health, Asthma and Pulmonary Conditions [IRAP[; Kidney, Nutrition, Obesity and Diabetes [KNOD]; and Neurological, Aging and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology [NAME]: These study sections also review applications that include behavioral risk factors. Applications that are primarily behavioral may be reviewed in BGES, while applications that are primarily biomedical may be assigned to CASE, EPIC, IRAP, KNOD or NAME, depending upon the substantive focus of the application and the condition(s) being studied.

·       With Nursing Science: Adults and Aging [NSAA] and Nursing Science: Children and Families [NSCF]: NSAA and NSCF also review applications that focus on high-risk behavior, that are multi-level, or that emphasize the relationships between socioenvironmental factors and health-related behavior. Applications in which the primary emphasis is upon nursing care and research relating to nursing interventions in patient care may be reviewed by NSAA or NSCF, depending upon the age groups being studied.

·         With Social Sciences and Population Studies [SSPS]: SSPS also reviews applications that focus upon high-risk behavior, that are multi-level, or that emphasize the relationships between socioenvironmental factors and health-related behavior. Applications that emphasize determination of health status at the community level or that emphasize behavior related to family structure, human reproduction, or population mobility may be reviewed in SSPS.

BGES has the following shared interests outside the HOP IRG:

·        With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG:  Applications that focus on the genetic etiology of a disease could be reviewed by the GGG IRG. Applications with a primary focus on genetics as a risk factor in an epidemiologic study could be reviewed by BGES.

·         With the Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies [BST] IRG: Grant applications focused on behavioral genetics may be reviewed in BGES. Grant applications focused on the design, development, and introduction of technology in support of genetic systems may be reviewed in BST.

·         With the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRG: Studies of personality, motivation, social roles, interpersonal processes and social cognitive processes may be assigned to the RPHB IRG. If such studies are nested within multi-level, multi-contextual studies dealing with interrelationships among individual, familial [biologic, genetic and/or environmental factors], social, and cultural factors and behaviors, disorders, and diseases, they may be assigned to BGES. Studies of interventions to treat or manage disabling physical or cognitive impairment, studies closely related to intervention development, and studies of factors that influence persons to seek health care may be assigned to RPHB. Studies that are not closely related to interventions and that focus on the interaction of biobehavioral and socio-environmental factors with regard to the etiology, course, prevalence, and consequences of other behaviors, health disorders, and diseases may be assigned to BGES. Epidemiological studies of risk and protective factors may be assigned to BGES.

·         With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG:  Studies of child and adult disorders generally may be assigned to the BBBP IRG. However, applications with studies nested within multi-level, multi-contextual studies focusing on the interrelationships among individual, familial [biologic, genetic and/or environmental factors], social, and cultural factors and behaviors in the etiology, natural history, and consequences of disorders and diseases may be assigned to BGES. Epidemiological studies of risk and protective factors may be assigned to BGES.

·         Study Sections in NIAAA, NIDA and NIMH may review applications in treatment and health services research. For more information, see the Institute's respective Web sites.

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Biostatistical Methods and Research Design Study Section [BMRD]

[BMRD Roster]

The Biostatistical Methods and Research Design [BMRD] Study Section reviews applications that focus primarily upon advancing techniques and technologies that address important statistical and mathematical problems, research design and methodological issues, and the modeling of phenomena relevant to biomedical, behavioral and scientific research. BMRD reviews generic methodological research that can improve the validity, reliability, or precision of measures; the development of statistical theory and mathematical models to analyze data, clinical trial intervention studies, and non-behavioral basic science; statistical research targeted at data structures developed in clinical trials; advanced ways of using computers and/or new testing technology, or computational modeling techniques with existing data sets; or applying techniques from other disciplines [e.g., genetics, neurology, computer science] to behavioral and social science topics, as well as other biomedical areas of research. The emphasis and main focus of applications should be upon the methods, statistics, or modeling techniques.

Specific areas covered by BMRD:

·         Data collection, including processes associated with self-reports; validity, reliability, precision of measurements; self-disclosure of stigmatized and illegal behaviors or rare phenomena; computer-assisted interviews and data collection; biomedical or biobehavioral measures, testing, and evaluations; physiological measures of behavioral phenomena [e.g., fatigue]; and techniques for incorporating the collection of biological specimens in behavioral and social science as well as other areas of biomedical research.

·         Research design, including sample selection, completion, and bias estimation; research designs for complex interdisciplinary studies; novel clinical trials design, multiple sub-studies within clinical trials and cohort/longitudinal design; integration of qualitative, quantitative, clinical, and historical data collection.

·         Advanced statistical issues, including development of theory and models that might include new approaches in Bayesian methodology; regression artifacts; application of smoothing distributions; heteroskedasticity; statistical problems; statistical and methodological issues in clinical trials; medical signals, images, and statistical analyses.
 

·         Analytic methods and modeling, including theoretical and methodological issues in meta analysis; modeling measurement error; generalized linear models; statistical issues for large data sets for missing observations or non-response; statistical models of the progression, transmission, and spread of diseases and conditions; demographic modeling; modeling of social networks and family tree and kin networks; connectionist/neural network models of social, psychological and biobehavioral processes; event history analysis; computer simulation; mathematical modeling; graphic information systems; and analytic methods and modeling of qualitative data. Software development.

BMRD has the following shared interests within the HOP IRG:

·         BMRD reviews applications that emphasize the development of new statistical methods or the improvement of research design, and these applications may involve any of the variables included in the other Study Sections within the HOP IRG. Applications that emphasize the development of new statistical methods or the improvement of established research designs can be reviewed by BMRD. Applications that rely primarily upon existing statistical methods or research designs may be reviewed by other study sections within HOP, depending upon the subject matter.

BMRD has the following shared interests outside the HOP IRG:

·         Other IRGs: BMRD reviews applications that emphasize the development of new statistical methods or the improvement of research design, and these applications may involve many of the variables included in other Study Sections outside the HOP IRG.  Applications that rely primarily upon existing statistical methods or research designs may be reviewed by other study sections within these IRGs, depending upon the subject matter.

·         Study Sections in NIAAA, NIDA and NIMH may review applications in treatment and health services research. For more information, see their web sites.

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Community-Level Health Promotion Study Section [CLHP]

[CLHP Roster]

The Community-Level Health Promotion [CLHP] Study Section reviews applications that test the efficacy of interventions concerned with the prevention of a broad range of health risk behaviors across the life span. Basic studies may investigate social, cultural, and other socioenvironmental factors and processes and their inter-relationships with a broad range of outcomes, including mental and physical health, illness and disorder, risk and protective behaviors and behavior change, health beliefs and attitudes, and normal development and functioning across the lifespan. Intervention research may focus on the modification of health risk behaviors and health-related decision making through environmental change and/or the use of social, organizational, political and legal systems to reduce and prevent risk behaviors within the general or select populations. It includes community-based interventions, studies to develop and test theories or methods, and dissemination studies. Research approaches may include ethnographic and other qualitative methods; quantitative and mixed-method studies; cross-sectional, longitudinal, or cohort comparison designs; experimental and quasi-experimental designs; studies that focus on more than one period or transition of the life course; and international studies.

Specific areas covered by CLHP:

·         Social environment change, including prevention approaches based on policy development, change, and enforcement; legal analyses of policies and their implementation; information dissemination; health promotion; organization or reorganization in communities, schools, worksites or other relevant environment settings. Studies may be directed toward the general population or at-risk groups and may utilize multiple social contexts of influence [e.g., schools, worksites, religious and non-sectarian organizations, community networks, media and advertising].

·         Community and organizational interventions for the prevention and modification of risk behaviors, including randomized experimental and quasi-experimental designs where the community or other multi-person entity is the unit of assignment; interventions that utilize community resources, organizations and information systems for outreach, health education or preventive service delivery; natural experiments; studies of social and organizational networks as systems for intervention delivery; and studies of organization and community characteristics and change processes underlying successful intervention implementation [e.g., community readiness or organization].

·         Studies of the adoption and dissemination of health-risk behavior preventive interventions, including studies of intervention effectiveness, variations in implementation, and/or acceptance by the target population; and studies of intervention characteristics affecting adoption, acceptance and fidelity of implementation by organizations and communities. 

CLHP has the following shared interests within the HOP IRG:

·        With the Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology [BGES]: BGES also reviews applications that focus upon high-risk behavior. Applications that focus primarily upon genetic factors or that emphasize the use of epidemiological methods may be reviewed in BGES.

·        With Biostatistical Methods and Research Design [BMRD]:  BMRD also reviews applications that attempt to establish the relationship between socioenvironmental factors and health and health-related outcomes. Applications in which the primary emphasis is upon the development of new statistical methodology or the improvement of existing research designs may be reviewed by BMRD.

·       With Community Influences on Health Behavior [CIHB]:  CIHB reviews applications that examine the broader socioenvironmental contexts in which health, disease, health-related behavior, and normal development are embedded and the interaction of socioenvironmental factors with individual factors with respect to those outcomes.  CLHP previously reviewed these applications until the establishment of CIHB.

·         With Health Services Organization and Delivery [HSOD]: HSOD also reviews applications that explore complex inter-relationships among economic, social, cultural, and environmental influences and health and health-related outcomes. Applications that focus on the delivery or organization of professional health services may be reviewed by HSOD.

·         With Nursing Science: Adults and Aging [NSAA] and Nursing Science: Children and Families [NSCF]: NSAA and NSCF also review applications that attempt to establish the relationship between socioenvironmental factors and health and health-related outcomes.  Applications in which the primary emphasis is upon nursing care and research relating to nursing interventions in patient care may be reviewed by NSAA or NSCF, depending upon the age groups being studied.

·        With Social Sciences and Population Studies [SSPS]:  SSPS also reviews applications that focus upon high-risk behavior, that are multi-level, or that emphasize the relationships between socioenvironmental factors and health related behavior.  Applications that emphasize determination of health status at the community level or that emphasize behavior related to family structure, human reproduction, or population mobility may be reviewed in SSPS. Those that emphasize community-based interventions may be reviewed in CLHP unless they involve STDs or contraceptive behavior as outcome variables. These may be reviewed in SSPS.

CLHP has the following shared interests outside the HOP IRG:

·         With the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRG:  Applications that center on adaptive or maladaptive interpersonal processes and risk behaviors in one or more settings (e.g., peer group, family, marriage) may be assigned to the RPHB IRG. Studies that focus primarily upon examination of these processes within the broader social context (e.g., neighborhood, community, policy) may be assigned to CLHP.  Studies of individual level interventions that primarily affect health risk behaviors by changing the knowledge, skills, and motivation of individuals without emphasis on macro- or community-level factors may be assigned to the RPHB IRG. Studies of interventions that operate primarily through community-level interventions or organizations such as schools, churches, or worksites or that involve environmental or policy change may be assigned to CLHP.

·         With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG: Studies of personality disorders that focus on socioenvironmental interventions at the macro- or community level could be assigned to CLHP. Studies that focus on the individual level could be assigned to the BBBP IRG.

·         With the Oncological Sciences [ONC] IRG: Studies of interventions to influence behavior related to cancer prevention or treatment and that emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) may be referred to CLHP. Studies focused on cancer biology or treatment could be assigned to the ONC IRG.

·         With the Cardiovascular Sciences [CVS] IRG: Studies of interventions to influence behavior related to cardiovascular health that emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) may be referred to CLHP. Applications on cardiovascular diseases, disorders, or functional consequences of behaviors could be assigned to the CVS IRG.

·         With the Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences [EMNR] IRG: Studies of interventions to influence behavior related to human nutrition patterns, diabetes or obesity that emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) may be referred to CLHP. Applications on diabetes, obesity or nutritional diseases, disorders, or functional consequences of behaviors could be assigned to the EMNR IRG.

·         With the Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences [MOSS] IRG: Studies of interventions to influence behavior related to oral and dental health, osteoporosis and other bone diseases, arthritis and dermatological conditions and that emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) may be referred to CLHP. Applications on the musculoskeletal, oral or skin diseases, disorders or functional consequences of behaviors could be assigned to the MOSS IRG.

 ·       Study Sections in NIAAA, NIDA and NIMH may review applications in treatment and health services research. For more information, see the Institutes' respective web sites.

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Community Influences on Health Behavior Study Section [CIHB]

[CIHB Roster]

The Community Influences on Health Behavior Study Section reviews applications that examine the broader socioenvironmental contexts in which health, disease, health-related behavior, and normal development are embedded, including those applications that examine the interaction of socioenvironmental factors with individual factors. Basic studies may investigate social, cultural, and other socioenvironmental factors and processes and their inter-relationships with a broad range of outcomes, including mental and physical health, illness and disorder, risk and protective behaviors and behavior change, health beliefs and attitudes, and normal development and functioning across the lifespan.  Applications may include those that plan to develop and test theories or methods and dissemination studies.  Research approaches may include ethnographic and other qualitative methods; quantitative and mixed-method studies; cross-sectional, longitudinal, or cohort comparison designs; experimental and quasi-experimental designs; studies that focus on more than one period or transition of the life course; and international studies.

Specific areas covered by CIHB:

·        Socioenvironmental influences on health, behavior, and development, including studies with primary emphasis on socioenvironmental factors, which may include social class, socioeconomic conditions, cultural factors and processes, institutions, social organization, social networks, neighborhood and regional characteristics, media, policies, social and family group membership, and racial and ethnic identity. Examples include studies that: identify and elaborate social and cultural risk and protective influences; explore complex inter-relationships among economic, social, cultural, and environmental influences and health-related outcomes; examine the relationship between laws, law enforcement, or criminal justice institutions on health-related decision-making and behavior change; examine the relationship between advertising, media, and health communications on health behaviors and the influence of ethnic identity and cultural norms on health risk knowledge, attitudes and behaviors.

·        Studies of the social, cultural, and socioenvironmental contexts in which health, disease, behavior and normal development are embedded. These include basic studies of social and cultural processes that are relevant to health and development, such as acculturation, diffusion, ideational change, meaning of health and illness, family structure and functioning, networks and social support, power relations, economic inequality, ethnic, racial and class identity, and social, cultural, institutional, and community change.

·        Social environment change, including prevention approaches based on policy development, change, and enforcement; legal analyses of policies and their implementation; information dissemination; health promotion; organization or reorganization in communities, schools, worksites or other relevant environment settings. These may be directed toward the general population or at-risk groups and utilize multiple social contexts of influence [e.g., schools, worksites, religious and non-sectarian organizations, community networks, media and advertising].

CIHB has the following shared interests within the HOP IRG:

·         With Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology [BGES]: BGES also reviews applications that focus upon high-risk behavior. Applications that focus primarily upon genetic factors or that emphasize the use of epidemiological methods may be reviewed in BGES.

·         With Biostatistical Methods and Research Design [BMRD]: BMRD also reviews applications that attempt to establish the relationship between socioenvironmental factors and health and health-related outcomes. Applications in which the primary emphasis is upon the development of new statistical methodology or the improvement of existing research designs may be reviewed by BMRD.

·         With Community-Level Health Promotion [CLHP]: CLHP also reviews applications that focus upon applications that examine the broader socioenvironmental contexts in which health, disease, health-related behavior, and normal development are embedded, including those applications that examine the interaction of socioenvironmental factors with individual factors.  Applications that include a primary focus on an intervention or a natural experiment may be reviewed in CLHP.

·         With Health Services Organization and Delivery [HSOD]: HSOD also reviews applications that explore complex inter-relationships among economic, social, cultural, and environmental influences and health and health-related outcomes. Applications that focus on the delivery or organization of professional health services may be reviewed by HSOD.

·         With Nursing Science: Adults and Aging [NSAA] and Nursing Science: Children and Families [NSCF]: NSAA and NSCF also review applications that attempt to establish the relationship between socioenvironmental factors and health and health-related outcomes. Applications in which the primary emphasis is upon nursing care and research relating to nursing interventions in patient care may be reviewed by NSAA or NSCF, depending upon the age groups being studied.

·         With Social Sciences and Population Studies [SSPS]: SSPS also reviews applications that focus upon high-risk behavior, that are multi-level, or that emphasize the relationships between socioenvironmental factors and health related behavior. Applications that emphasize determination of health status at the community level or that emphasize behavior related to family structure, human reproduction, or population mobility may be reviewed in SSPS.

CIHB has the following shared interests outside the HOP IRG:

·         With the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRG: Applications that focus on adaptive or maladaptive interpersonal processes and risk behavior or personality and motivational and social cognitive processes without emphasis on macro-level influences or institutions may be reviewed by the RPHB IRG. Studies that focus primarily upon examination of these processes within the broader macro-level social context [e.g., neighborhood, community, policy] may be assigned to CIHB.

·         With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG: Studies of personality disorders that focus on socioenvironmental and community level characteristics may be assigned to CIHB. Studies that focus on the individual level may be assigned to the BBBP IRG.

·         With the Oncological Sciences [ONC] IRG: The ONC IRG also reviews applications directed toward the prevention and treatment of cancer. Studies to influence behavior related to these conditions and that emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) and that do not involve an intervention may be referred to CIHB. Applications dealing with chemoprevention and modulation of cancer risks could be assigned to the ONC IRG.

·         With the Cardiovascular Sciences [CVS] IRG: Studies that examine risky and/or protective behaviors related to cardiovascular health that also emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) and do not involve an intervention may be referred to CIHB. Applications on cardiovascular diseases, disorders, or functional consequences of behaviors could be assigned to the CVS IRG.

·         With the Endocrinology, Metabolism, Nutrition and Reproductive Sciences [EMNR] IRG: Studies of risk and/or protective factors regarding human nutrition patterns, or diabetes or obesity that emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) and do not involve a community-based intervention may be referred to CIHB. Applications on diabetes, obesity or nutritional diseases, disorders, or functional consequences of behaviors could be assigned to the EMNR IRG.

·         With the Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences [MOSS] IRG: The MOSS IRG also reviews applications directed toward the prevention and treatment of oral and dental health, osteoporosis and other bone diseases, arthritis and dermatological conditions. Studies to influence behavior related to these conditions and that emphasize a community or societal context (e.g., worksite, church, school, mass media) and that do not involve an intervention may be referred to CIHB. Applications on the diseases, disorders or functional consequences of behaviors could be assigned to the MOSS IRG.

·         Study sections in NIAAA, NIDA and NIMH may review applications in treatment and health services research. For more information, see the Institutes' respective web sites.

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Cardiovascular and Sleep Epidemiology [CASE]

[CASE Roster]

The Cardiovascular and Sleep Epidemiology [CASE] Study Section reviews applications on epidemiologic research in cardiovascular and sleep conditions.

Specific areas covered by CASE:

·         The general characteristics of the distribution of cardiovascular conditions (including myocardial ischemia and infarction, cardiac hypertrophy and failure, cardiovascular arrhythmia, vascular hemodymanics and inflammation and atherosclerosis) and sleep conditions (including insomnia, sleep apnea and narcolepsy) in human populations in relation to time, place, and personal characteristics.

·         Elucidation of the determinants of cardiovascular and sleep conditions by assembling groups of individuals to determine systematically whether the risk of disease/condition is different for individuals who are exposed or not exposed to specific factors (or combinations of factors) of interest. These may be either risk or protective factors.

·         Development and improvement of research designs and methodologies addressing epidemiologic questions in cardiovascular and sleep conditions.

CASE has the following shared interests within the HOP IRG:

·         With Biostatistical Methods and Research Design [BMRD]: BMRD also reviews applications dealing with epidemiologic methods and research design. If the primary emphasis of the application is to develop new statistical methodologies, the application may be reviewed in BMRD. If the focus is on improving existing methodologies for epidemiologic research related to cardiovascular and sleep conditions, the application may be assigned to CASE.

·         With Community Influences on Health Behavior [CIHB] and Community-Level Health Promotion [CLHP]: CIHB and CLHP also review applications dealing with cardiovascular or sleep conditions and their risk factors. If the primary focus of the proposed study is cardiovascular or sleep conditions or their risk factors and if the application emphasizes community or societal institutions such as school, church, work site, or mass media, the application may be reviewed by CIHB or CLHP, depending upon whether a community-based intervention is involved.

·         With Nursing Science: Adults and Aging [NSAA] and Nursing Science: Children and Families [NSCF]: The NSAA and NSCF Study Sections also review applications dealing with cardiovascular or sleep conditions. When the primary focus is on nursing science, the application may be assigned to NSAA or NSCF, depending upon the age range involved. An application may be assigned to CASE when it is an overall epidemiological study.

·         With Social Sciences and Population Studies [SSPS]: SSPS also reviews applications dealing with the incidence and prevalence of morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular conditions or sleep conditions. Applications that rely primarily upon epidemiologic methods may be reviewed by CASE. Applications relating levels of morbidity and mortality to demographic or socioenvironmental factors or the effects of public policy on morbidity or mortality levels may be reviewed by SSPS.

CASE has the following shared interests outside the HOP IRG:

·         With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG: CASE has extensive shared interests with GGG for applications involving using genetic epidemiology to study cardiovascular or sleep conditions. The level of molecular and genetic technology relative to epidemiology needs to be considered before assigning to CASE. More genetically technical applications could be reviewed by GGG. Studies with substantial laboratory components are appropriate for CASE when the primary thrust is epidemiologic and laboratory data are to be collected by methods that are largely already developed. Genetic linkage studies could be reviewed by the GGG IRG or CASE. Molecular epidemiology studies alone or in combination with linkage studies could be reviewed in CASE. Genetic studies using animals could be assigned to GGG or another IRG, depending upon the primary thrust of the application.

·         With the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRG: The RPHB IRG also reviews applications dealing with variations in risk behavior. Epidemiologic studies examining behavior as a risk factor could be referred to CASE. Non-epidemiologic studies with a behavioral intervention component to change health behavior could be referred to RPHB, depending upon whether the emphasis is on the individual or the community level context.

·         With the Cardiovascular Sciences [CVS] IRG: CVS also reviews applications dealing with cardiovascular conditions. Clinical trials in cardiovascular conditions could be reviewed in the CVS IRG. Epidemiologic studies of cardiovascular conditions could be reviewed in CASE. Nonintervention studies with substantial laboratory components are appropriate for CASE when the primary thrust is epidemiologic and laboratory data are to be collected by methods that are largely already developed. All other applications whose emphasis is on cardiovascular disease could be reviewed in the CVS IRG. Genetic studies using animal studies could be reviewed in CVS or another IRG, depending upon the primary thrust of the application.

·         With the Respiratory Sciences [RES] IRG: CASE has extensive shared interests with RES for applications involving sleep apnea. Clinical trials in sleep apnea could be reviewed in RES. Epidemiologic studies of sleep apnea could be reviewed in CASE. Non-epidemiologic applications on the diseases, disorders, genetics or functional consequences of behaviors associated with the respiratory system could be assigned to RES. Applications that focus on physiologic mechanisms related to sleep apnea, including genetic studies, may be assigned to RES. Applications that focus on the general characteristics, at a population level, with respect to the risk or protective factors that might lead to sleep apnea may be referred to CASE. Animal studies of sleep conditions or cardiovascular conditions related to respiratory factors could be reviewed in RES.

·         With the Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience [BDCN] and the Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience [IFCN] IRGs: BDCN and IFCN also review applications dealing with sleep disorders/conditions. Clinical trials in sleep disorders/conditions could be reviewed in BDCN or IFCN, depending upon the focus of the application. Epidemiologic studies of sleep disorders/conditions could be reviewed in CASE. Animal studies could be reviewed in the BDCN or IFCN IRGs, depending on the focus of the application.

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Epidemiology of Cancer Study Section [EPIC]

[EPIC Roster]

The Epidemiology of Cancer [EPIC] Study Section reviews applications on epidemiologic studies in the areas of cancer.

Specific areas covered by EPIC:

·         General characteristics of the distribution of cancer (including cancer of the breast, prostate, digestive system, reproductive system, and lung) in human populations in relation to time, place, and personal characteristics.

·         Elucidation of the determinants of cancer by assembling groups of individuals to determine systematically whether the risk of disease/condition is different for individuals who are exposed or not exposed to specific factors (or combinations of factors) of interest. These may be either risk or protective factors.

·         Development and improvement of research designs and methodologies addressing epidemiologic questions in cancer.

EPIC has the following shared interests within the HOP IRG:

·         With Biostatistical Methods and Research Design [BMRD]: BMRD also reviews applications dealing with epidemiologic methods and research design. If the primary emphasis of the application is to develop new statistical methodologies, the application may be reviewed by BMRD. If the focus is on improving existing methodologies for epidemiologic research related to cancer, the application may be assigned to EPIC.

·         With Community Influences on Health Behavior [CIHB] and Community-Level Health Promotion [CLHP]: CIHB and CLHP also review applications dealing with cancer and its risk factors. If the primary focus of the proposed study is on cancer or its risk factors and if the application emphasizes community or societal institutions such as school, church, work site, or mass media, the application may be reviewed by CIHB or CLHP, depending upon whether a community-based intervention is involved.

·        With Nursing Science: Adults and Aging [NSAA] and Nursing Science: Children and Families [NSCF]: The NSAA and NSCF Study Sections also review applications in cancer. When the primary focus is on nursing science, the application may be assigned to NSAA or NSCF, depending upon the age range involved. An application may be assigned to EPIC when it is an overall epidemiological study of cancer.

·         With Social Sciences and Population Studies [SSPS]: SSPS also reviews applications dealing with the incidence and prevalence of morbidity and mortality due to cancer. Applications that rely primarily upon epidemiologic methods may be reviewed by EPIC. Applications relating levels of morbidity and mortality to demographic or socioenvironmental factors or the effects of public policy on morbidity or mortality levels may be reviewed by SSPS.

EPIC has the following shared interests outside the HOP IRG:

·         With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG:  EPIC has extensive shared interests with GGG for applications involving genetic epidemiologyl. The evel of molecular and genetic technology relative to epidemiology needs to be considered before assigning applications in genetic epidemiology to EPIC. More technical applications could be reviewed by GGG. Studies with substantial laboratory components are appropriate for EPIC when the primary thrust is epidemiologic and laboratory data are to be collected by methods that are largely already developed. Genetic linkage studies could go to either the GGG IRG or to EPIC. Molecular epidemiology studies alone or in combination with linkage studies could be reviewed in EPIC. Genetic studies using animals could be assigned to GGG or another IRG, depending upon the primary thrust of the application.

·         With the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRG: The RPHB IRG also reviews applications dealing with variations in risk behavior. Epidemiologic studies examining behavior as a risk factor could be referred to EPIC. Non-epidemiologic studies with a behavioral intervention component to change health behavior could be referred to RPHB or EPIC, depending upon whether the emphasis is on the individual or the community level context.