The NIH Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) is requesting public input into the development of its new Strategic Plan. The SRS seeks to provide such input to government agencies whenever possible, in an effort to keep sleep and circadian research and health in the forefront of policy makers’ minds. We have had good success in the past and hope to extend that to ODP.
We are asking members who conduct prevention-related research to volunteer to join a small task force to draft the SRS response to the ODP Strategic Plan. ODP defines Prevention Research as, “research designed to yield results directly applicable to identifying and assessing risk, developing interventions for preventing or ameliorating high-risk behaviors and exposures, the occurrence of a disease, disorder, or injury, or the progression of detectable but asymptomatic disease.” The ODP puts specific foci on chronic diseases, behaviourally-driven health concerns (e.g., substance abuse, nutrition, activity levels), and health disparities.
Clearly, ODP’s definition and focus have broad applicability to the sleep and circadian field. Yet, sleep and circadian science has appeared in few, if any, of ODP’s efforts and none have focused specifically on sleep and circadian science or health. The SRS needs your help to change that!
We are allowed to comment on each of the five Strategic Priorities. Responses to each priority is limited to 2,000 characters and are due by January 22, 2018 so we need to move quickly. Click here for more information about the ODP strategic plan.
Any one interested in joining this task force should contact SRS Staff at coordinator@srsnet.org no later than December 27, 2017.
