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Overall Goals
Specific Aims
Center Administration
Center Organization

Overall Goals
As the demographics of the U.S. change, learning about racial, ethnic and cultural variations among subgroups is increasingly important (Portillo et al, 2001). Nurses are mandated to provide culturally competent care, but to do so, they must understand what the needs are and how to best deliver care to meet those needs Developing this knowledge will require a cadre of nurse researchers capable of culturally competent research on health disparities and dissemination of the findings. Culturally competent research encompasses cultural knowledge, sensitivity, and collaboration (Meleis, 1996; Sawyer, Regev, Proctor, Nelson, Messias, Barnes, & Meleis, 1995). Cultural knowledge includes knowledge about the population and community to be served, including ethnicity, language, beliefs and values and social structures. Cultural sensitivity goes beyond this knowledge to include valuing and respecting of cultural practices, beliefs and norms. Collaboration refers to community participation in all aspects of research including dissemination and ownership (Sawyer, et al., 1995). Collaboration requires a new look at how we design and conduct research suggesting that research must be participant-centered.

The Center is guided by the assumptions of participant-centered research. Participant-centered research (PCR) is not a methodology, but a philosophy which is consistent with a "societal movement" to address the needs of participants in research, (Gross & Fogg, 2001, p. 533). Therefore, we are not using a single research approach, but rather a constellation of participatory research ranging from PCR (addressing subject need in the research design, for example subjects choosing how they will participate in clinical trials) to participatory research (involving participants in all phases of the research process) (Gross & Fogg, 2001; Stringer, 1999). This will afford us flexibility while facilitating our ability to match our methods to the cultural group of interest. This philosophy is critical to developing the innovative methodologies that will be necessary to further the agenda of health disparity research. Further, this philosophy of participation and collaboration will be reflected in the partnering of Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), as well as the facilitation of participatory research with communities. Underlying this approach is a philosophy of empowerment; we will attempt to level the balance of power between the partner schools and participants in research programs, particularly racial, ethnic and cultural minorities (Israel, Schultz, Parker, & Becker, 1998; Labonté, 1990).

Specific Aims
The Center aims to:

1. Increase the capacities among the three participating schools for culturally competent nursing research in the area of health disparities.
2. Increase the cadre of minority nursing researchers through research mentoring of students and faculty.
3. Facilitate project and grant development with students and faculty respectively.
4. Develop and refine innovative PCR methodologies in health disparity and cross-cultural research by collaboratively identifying research needs among academic and community partners.
5. Conduct methodologic seminars, workshops, and research to advance the science in the area of health disparities.
6. Build sustainable academic and community partnerships by developing the infrastructures necessary to expand and support these relationships.

Center Administration
Margaret S. Miles, PhD, RN
Director, UNC-Chapel Hill

E. Joyce Roland, PhD, RN
Director, North Carolina Central University

Lenora Campbell, DNS
Bobbie Reddick, EdD, RN
Co-Directors, Winston-Salem State University

Wanda Weaver, MEd
Project Director

Center Organization
The aims of the Center are accomplished through four cores.

Administrative Core
Pilot/Feasibility Core
Mentoring Core
Outreach Dissemination Core

The Administrative Core
Directors: Margaret S. Miles, Lenora Campbell, Bobbie Reddick and E. Joyce Roland
Project Staff: Wanda Weaver

Core Faculty:
Margarete Sandelowski - research methodologist
Merle Mishel - research methodologist

The Administrative Core coordinates the overall budget, resources, and activities of the Center. This Core also develops and implements educational programs to promote innovative methodologies in health disparities research.

The Pilot/Feasibility Core
Directors: Margaret S. Miles

Faculty:
Lenora Campbell - faculty mentor, WSSU
Sandra Funk - Associate Dean for Research, UNC-Chapel Hill

The Pilot/Feasibility Core mentors faculty on the design and implementation of research pilots and on the development of larger programs of research. This core reviews and funds pilots, mentors pilot study investigators, and "matches" investigators in the partner institutions with appropriate researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill for research mentoring. The expertise of faculty at WSSU and NCCU is available to researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill to increase the cultural competence of studies that target racial and ethnic minority groups.

The Mentoring Core
Directors: Jean Goeppinger

The Mentoring Core provides mentored research experiences for undergraduate and graduate students at WSSU, NCCU and UNC-Chapel Hill. The Mentoring Core mentors undergraduate and graduate students in the conduct of health disparities research with the goal of promoting careers as nurse researchers.

Outreach/Dissemination Core
Director: Diane Berry

Faculty:
Chris McQuiston - partnership with El Centro Hispano in Durham
Sonda Oppewal - Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, UNC-Chapel Hill

The Outreach/Dissemination Core uses empowering strategies in its work with minority communities to identify needs, "match" researchers and students with expertise in the area of need, solicit funding from additional sources, facilitate program development, and disseminate research from participating institutions.