FABBS Comments on the NIH Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan for 2026-2030

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) recently issued a request for information (RFI) soliciting feedback on the NIH-wide Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, which will guide NIH in setting scientific goals in these areas of research. NIMHD invited comments from a variety of constituents, including scientists, clinicians, academic institutions, advocacy groups, and scientific societies. 

NIMHD sought input in three areas: (1) the nine proposed goals, (2) research strategies and scientific areas, and (3) the next generation of health disparities research. FABBS responded on December 28, highlighting the important work that behavioral and brain scientists are doing in minority health and health disparities research and making recommendations for research strategies and areas for NIH to pursue in these fields. For example: 

  • FABBS recommended multidisciplinary approaches and encouraged NIH to expand its focus to include multiracial individuals’ health. 
  • FABBS emphasized the importance of behavioral and societal interventions to improving minority health and reducing health disparities. 
  • FABBS commended NIH for its commitment to diversifying its workforce and we noted that behavioral sciences can play a key role in promoting workforce diversity. 
  • FABBS encouraged NIH to include sleep, pain, and mental health in this plan as critical areas of research. 

FABBS will continue to monitor updates to this strategic plan. 

[See FABBS Comments on NIH Minority Health and Health Disparities Strategic Plan, 2026-2030]

FABBS regularly weighs in on comment opportunities to ensure the inclusion of our disciplines. One particularly useful tool we rely on when composing our responses is the FABBS journal, Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences (PIBBS), which challenges researchers to consider the policy implications of their work. Additionally, commenting on NIH strategic plans allows FABBS to reinforce the guidance put forth by the Council of Councils in its 2022 Working Group report, “Integration of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the National Institutes of Health.” 

Comments, NIH, NIMHD