Centers of Excellence on Environmental Health Disparities Research

The Centers of Excellence on Environmental Health Disparities (EHD) Research program is a collaborative effort supported by the EPA, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) that encourages basic, biological, clinical, epidemiological, behavioral and/or social scientific investigations of disease conditions that are known to be a significant burden in low socioeconomic and health disparate populations. The EHD Centers support research efforts, mentoring, capacity building, research translation and information dissemination, and are designed to address program-specific research priorities.

Currently Funded Grantees: Centers of Excellence on Environmental Health Disparities Research

Learn more below about the EHD Centers' primary research priorities and key questions the centers are addressing related to health disparities.

Cumulative effects of multi-environmental, physical, and social stressors

How do the cumulative effects of exposures to multiple environmental chemical contaminants combine with the effects of social stressors to affect health, and what is the role of genetics and epigenetics in relation to these exposures?
Differential exposures How are different socioeconomic groups exposed differentially to environmental hazards and what are the drivers for such exposure scenarios? Land use considerations and health disparities How do different land uses and land use decision-making processes contribute to environmental health disparities, and what approaches can communities take to reduce these impacts? Built environment, housing, and transportation How does proximity to transportation infrastructure affect the levels and types of exposures? How does poverty contribute to indoor and outdoor air pollution in residential settings? Environmental sustainability and health disparities How do sustainable approaches reduce disproportionate health burdens and build community resilience? How will improvements in environmental health literacy enable a sustainable lifestyle? Engagement of affected community members/organizations in research How can researchers provide culturally sensitive translation of findings to stakeholders, promote engagement with community members, and build capacity in environmental health literacy and risk prevention?

How do the cumulative effects of exposures to multiple environmental chemical contaminants combine with the effects of social stressors to affect health, and what is the role of genetics and epigenetics in relation to these exposures?

Differential exposures

How are different socioeconomic groups exposed differentially to environmental hazards and what are the drivers for such exposure scenarios?

Land use considerations and health disparities

How do different land uses and land use decision-making processes contribute to environmental health disparities, and what approaches can communities take to reduce these impacts?

Built environment, housing, and transportation

How does proximity to transportation infrastructure affect the levels and types of exposures? How does poverty contribute to indoor and outdoor air pollution in residential settings?

Environmental sustainability and health disparities

How do sustainable approaches reduce disproportionate health burdens and build community resilience? How will improvements in environmental health literacy enable a sustainable lifestyle?

Engagement of affected community members/organizations in research

How can researchers provide culturally sensitive translation of findings to stakeholders, promote engagement with community members, and build capacity in environmental health literacy and risk prevention?