UNL’s Minority Health Disparities Initiative, funded through the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund, seeks to eliminate race- and ethnicity-based health disparities in Nebraska and beyond. Researchers involved with the initiative have studied health disparities affecting native-born Mexicans, the LGBT community, Native Americans, women and others. The initiative intends to build a community of researchers with active interest in minority health and health disparities, increase participation of minority scholars at all levels in health-related research and encourage emerging health scholars to pursue a research career in minority health disparities.
Bio
Rick Bevins is a member of the Minority Health Disparities Initiative leadership team. His research program bridges areas of neuroscience, pharmacology, animal learning and cognition, psychology and immunology. He uses animal models as a tool to elucidate factors involved in the etiology of drug abuse.
Bio
Mindy Anderson-Knott is a member of the Minority Health Disparities Initiative leadership team. Her research involves studying inequalities and conducting program evaluation. She is evaluating a variety of programs aimed at addressing gender and racial inequalities. Specifically to minority health, she is evaluating the impact of grants to address local minority health disparities in Nebraska and grants to address disparities in underage drinking behavior.