The North Carolina Agromedicine Institute (NCAI) is seeking proposals from principal investigators whose research can improve the occupational safety and health of farmers, farm workers, fishermen, and/or foresters and their families. Interested investigators are invited to submit an abstract of no more than two pages describing the project idea, timeline and estimated budget. Abstracts will be screened for their scientific merit and suitability for NCAI and NIOSH by a review team composed of scientists, agricultural safety specialists, and public health professionals. At least 15 projects will be selected and asked to submit a pre-proposal and budget justification.

Research projects must be able to demonstrate the potential for a significant improvement of the health and safety of agricultural workers and or their families. All research applications are required to use the research to practice as described in the translational research model of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (See www.phppo.cdc.gov/niosh/r2p/ and http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/agff/default.html for research to practice at NIOSH). To be accepted for inclusion, basic research proposals must have a plan for how the results will be translated into an intervention or application to improve the safety and health of the agricultural community within 2 years of project completion.

Projects that focus on reducing occupationally related health disparities for high risk and underserved populations will be given priority. Preference will be given to collaborative research endeavors that link scientific research outcomes to intervention or education and outreach for workers and their families.

The intervention and education and outreach projects must have a well- developed evaluation plan that includes both process and outcome evaluations. Proxy outcome measures relating to behavior, environmental change, and policy change are acceptable if such measures can be linked directly to reducing rates of injury, disease or death. Projects aimed at providing a service or conducting informational sessions will not be considered. All projects must have a well-developed research or evaluation plan that is focused on the expected safety and health outcomes.

Proposed projects may be for three years (RO1) if sufficient preliminary research has been completed to support specific project aims or hypotheses; or for two years (R21) for projects in an early developmental stage or that lack adequate preliminary data to support an RO1 type proposal.

Southern Coastal Agromedicine Center (SCAC) Priorities

SCAC project priorities for this cycle include:

Prevention, surveillance, and/or treatment of pesticide-related illness, and exposures;

Prevention of injuries and occupationally related illness;

Prevention and treatment of accidental injury and death due to exposure to health hazards in the working environment;

Improving the health and safety of minority workers, women and children living and working on farms, farm factories, fishing vessels, seafood processing plants, or in forestry;

Intervention projects to improve access to health care and health education to prevent occupationally related illnesses and injuries among high risk agricultural workers;

Educational and outreach programs for improving the safety of workers and their families using innovative multi-dimensional and culturally appropriate methods.

Deadlines

AUGUST 13, 2007 2 page Abstract (see guide)

SEPTEMBER 07, 2007 5 page Pre-proposal

OCTOBER 15, 2007 Final Project Proposal

Contact for questions:

Kristen Borre at borrek@ecu.edu