Sunday, June 18

Opening Reception: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Monday Morning June 19: 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Introduction/Overview

Dr. Lloyd Edwards, Dr. Dorothy Browne, Dr. Trude Bennett, Mr. Delton Atkinson, Mr. P. Doug Williams

This session will provide participants with a rationale for the course and an overview of the topics to be covered in subsequent sessions. Attention will be given to the concepts of race and ethnicity and their utility in conducting minority health research. A central theme of this session will be the persistent disparities in health indicators and the extent to which our understanding of these inequalities is hampered by methodological limitations. 

Monday Afternoon June 19: 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Classification Issues
Dr. Robert Hahn

Issues related to the definition and categorization of racial and ethnic groups will be explored, including the impact of misclassification and aggregation of racial/ethnic populations on measures of health status and health care utilization. Limitations of various sources of numerator data and problems with census methodology in providing denominator data for health-related measures will be examined. The class will formulate recommendations for appropriate classification of racial/ethnic data for various purposes. 

Tuesday Morning June 20: 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Relationships Between Race, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Status
Dr. Thomas LaVeist

This session will stress the importance of distinguishing race and ethnicity from socioeconomic status in minority health research. Diversity within racial/ethnic groups will be explored in order to illustrate the weaknesses inherent in using race as a surrogate measure for income or SES. Race, ethnicity, and social class will be analyzed as separate though interactive variables, and the class will develop potential strategies for measuring the effects of discrimination. 

Tuesday Afternoon June 20: 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Other Measures that Distinguish Between Race and Socioeconomic Status
Dr. William Darity, Dr. Patricia O'Campo

This session will introduce participants to innovative and alternative methods and procedures for disentangling the effects of race and socioeconomic status. Faculty will present research in which race and socioeconomic status have been examined by employing different and unique measures and strategies. 

Tuesday Evening June 20: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Grants Writing
Dr. Dorothy Browne, Ms. Audrey Burwell

This session will provide participants with an overview of the process of proposal writing for federal and private organizations. The topics to be covered include generating ideas for proposals, components of proposals for federal (primarily NIH) and private agencies; key elements in writing grant applications; and principal reasons for the disapproval of grants. 

Wednesday Morning June 21: 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Survey Issues and Study Designs in Minority Health
Dr. Lloyd Edwards, Dr. Ron Helms

This class will identify some of the major methodological and statististical issues in minority health research and will examine strategies for addressing common problems. Some of the main issues to be considered are sampling of small and/or dispersed populations and longitudinal design. 

Wednesday Afternoon June 21: 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Small Area Analysis
Dr. Steve Murdock

This session will examine the effect of changing definitions and demographics on longitudinal research, small area analysis, advantages and disadvantages of comparative survey methodologies, and qualitative research techniques. 

Thursday Morning June 22: 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Instrument Development
Maya Dominguez-McNeilly

This session will cover the creation of specific reliable measures for constructs salient to research in minority health. Faculty will present some of the concepts and constructs of major interest to individuals conducting minority health research, and will discuss strategies for moving from the conceptualization of constructs to their precise and effective measurement. 

Thursday Afternoon June 22: 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Data Users: Databases Demonstration
Dr. Lloyd Edwards, Ms. Linda Washington

In this session, a representative from the National Center for Health Statistics will summarize the kinds of minority health databases maintained by NCHS that are available for public use. The types of variables contained in each database will be reviewed and the procedure for gaining access to the data will be provided. In addition, two minority health databases created and maintained by the UNC School of Public Health will be described and instructions on how to access and search the databases through the INTERNET will be discussed. 

Thursday Evening June 22: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Scientific Writing
Richard Goodman

This session will assist participants in the preparation of scientific manuscripts. The sessions will cover the organization and purpose of different sections of a scientific manuscript for submission to a peer review journal; the process of writing and publishing in a peer review journal; strategies for dealing with reviewer's comments for revisions of articles; and the principles and style for writing in the area of public health. 

Friday Morning June 23: 8:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Community-Based Research
Dr. Dorothy C. Browne, Dr. Ronnie Bell, Mr. Curtis Jackson, Dr. Ruth Zambrana

This session will discuss issues and concerns pertaining to community-based research. The topic of the class will be the political and social context in which minority health research is conducted. This session will examine the historical and current environment of discrimination and research ethics; reasons for the reluctance of minority communities to become involved in research; methods for ensuring cultural sensitivity; and minority participation as subjects and investigators in health research. 

Friday Afternoon June 23: 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.
Panel Discussion of Special Topics
Dr. Diane Rowley, Dr. Larry Shinagawa, Dr. Aida Giachello, Dr. Felicia Hodge, Ms. Patricia Golden, Dr. C. Dorothy Browne

A panel of researchers will discuss the impact of major health problems on minority communities; will discuss how political, methodological, and statistical problems have impeded research in these areas; and will provide alternative models from their own research in such areas as AIDS, hypertension, mental health, infant mortality, and women's reproductive health. 

Roundtable Discussions

Each day, noon-time Roundtable Discussions led by University of North Carolina and other area researchers will take place in Lenoir Hall, UNC's primary dining facility. Topics will reflect interest of students, as indicated on their application form and will be announced prior to the Institute.

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