CDC awards $19.5 million to Prevention Research Centers nationwide

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded $19.5 million to 26 academic institutions in 25 states to study how people and their communities can avoid or counter the risks for chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, obesity, and cancer. The funds will support the development and evaluation of practical public health prevention interventions. The awards are for the first year of a five-year funding period.

"Prevention Research Centers have reached up to 31 million people in 103 partner communities, some of which are the most underserved in the country," said Ursula E. Bauer, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. "By involving communities in conducting and disseminating research, this network of centers ensures that effective and innovative health strategies can be readily shared and applied where most needed."

Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) are committed to conducting prevention research and are leaders in translating research results into public health policies and practices that drive major sustainable community changes that can prevent and control chronic diseases and improve overall health.

"Preventing chronic disease is critical to improving our nation’s well-being and avoiding excessive health care costs," said Wayne Giles, M.D., M.S., director of CDC’s Division of Population Health. "Our investment in the prevention research centers moves us closer to ensuring all Americans share the richness of good health."

The 26 PRCs that will design, test, and disseminate innovative and effective applied public health prevention research strategies are:

"The PRC Network is well-suited to work with public health and community partners to enhance the integration of public health and primary care," said Mehran S. Massoudi, Ph.D., M.P.H. (CAPT, USPHS) director of the PRC Program at CDC.

For more information on the Prevention Research Centers and a map and complete listing of their locations, please visit CDC’s Web site at http://www.cdc.gov/prc.

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES