RESPIRATORY HEALTH PROGRAM

Strategic Goals for Intramural Research

The NIOSH Respiratory Health Program (RHP) is in the process of developing an updated set of strategic goals to guide NIOSH research and partnership efforts over the next decade.

NIOSH Program Portfolio Approach

NIOSH organizes its research, guidance, information, and service efforts into specific programs that can be readily communicated and strategically governed and evaluated. Ten sector programs represent industrial sectors, and seven cross-sector programs are organized around health and safety outcomes. There are also numerous core and specialty programs that represent special emphasis areas, methodological approaches, core activities and legislatively mandated programs.

The sector programs intersect with cross-sector programs in a matrix-like fashion, with relevant core and specialty programs playing a supporting role. For example, a Mining Program goal of reducing pneumoconiosis due to dust inhalation would likely be a shared goal with the Respiratory Health Program. This approach provides an added advantage and will allow multiple Programs to work towards accomplishment of intersecting NIOSH goals.

RHP Strategic Goals for Intramural Research

The RHP developed five Strategic Goals during the second decade of the National Occupational Research Agenda. Four address various types of work-related respiratory disease and one addresses cross-cutting issues. They are as follows:

• Strategic Goal 1: Prevent and reduce work-related airways diseases
• Strategic Goal 2: Prevent and reduce work-related interstitial lung diseases
• Strategic Goal 3: Prevent and reduce work-related respiratory infectious diseases
• Strategic Goal 4: Prevent and reduce work-related respiratory malignancies
• Strategic Goal 5: Advance cross-cutting issues that affect all work-related respiratory diseases, in particular surveillance,exposure assessment, emerging issues, and improving workers’ respiratory health.

A broad spectrum of multidisciplinary activities are needed to effectively address each of these goals. Examples include surveillance; research in exposure assessment methods, respiratory health assessment methods, epidemiology, engineering controls, respiratory protection and toxicology; development of authoritative recommendations; health communications; and training and education. Work in any of these areas with the potential to prevent and reduce work-related respiratory diseases and improve workers’ respiratory health is relevant to the RHP area.

RHP Priority Goals for Extramural Research

The RHP selected the following priority goals as particularly suited for extramural research during fiscal year 2017:

• Strategic Goal 1: Prevent and reduce work-related airways diseases.
• Strategic Goal 5: Advance cross-cutting issues that affect all work-related respiratory diseases, in particular surveillance, exposure assessment, and emerging issues.

Those seeking NIOSH grants to conduct studies related to the CRC are invited to view the current funding opportunities.