New Castle, Delaware, founded in 1651, is a historic, colonial city in  New Castle County. The estimated population in New Castle as of 2014, is 5,379, with a median household income of $ 53,553. Between the years of 2009-2013, the home ownership rates in New Castle were 68.8%, while during these same years the percent of residents living below the poverty rate was 12.2%. To promote community wellness, New Castle city government coordinates a local, community-driven wellness initiative with the easy-to-use  Toolkit for a Healthy Delaware created by the University of Delaware's   Institute for Public Administration. New Castle's community wellness initiative differs from other "eat this, not that" health promotion efforts by focusing on tailoring environments that make it easy to be healthy. Since 2011, the city has conducted a community assessment to guide its efforts and allocate resources to the most important health issues raised by community members. Funding for the initiative comes from the Delaware Division of Public Health through a state-funded grant. Click here to learn more about how New Castle is leading the State of Delaware in community health and wellness. 

In the News: 

1. Advancing Equity for Women and Girls of Color: On Nov. 13, 2015 the White House Council on Women and Girls (WHCWG) co-hosted an equity forum with the Anna Julia Cooper Center at Wake Forest University, focusing on access to opportunity for women and girls of color. Among the concerns addressed during the forum were the high rates of suspensions, the need to increase STEM education and opportunities, and providing opportunities for economic growth through a suite of policy measures. Click here to read more.
2. Native American Health: The Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health recently announced the 500 Scholars Initiative, an effort to raise $3 million over 3 years to promote education and training opportunities - from high school to doctoral degrees -- for 500 American Indians and Alaska Natives. These populations are "lagging 20 to 25 years behind the general public in both health and education quality," according to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. More information can be found HERE.
3. Minorities Receive Less Pain Treatment in E.R.: New research finds differences in pain medication administered to adult E.R. patients of different racial backgrounds. Using CDC data, it was determined that minority patients over the age of 18 are less likely to receive pain medications by 22%-30% compared to White patients. A similar trend is also noticed among children, as noted in a September 2015 article in Pediatrics. These differences could be due to various factors including communication gaps, varying pain thresholds and a lack of patient-centered care. Click HERE to read more.

NIMHD Updates: NIH Research, Funding and Other Opportunities

 

NIH Researchers Link Gene Variation to Obesity:  A new study finds that a compound named brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), connected to appetite, may affect obesity rates in certain populations. Dr. Yanovski, an author on the study, noted that "...BDNF  gene has previously been linked to obesity, and scientists have been working for several years to understand how changes in this particular gene may predispose people to obesity..." BDNF protein could prove promising in combating obesity, particularly with people who exhibit a genetic predisposition. 

• Behavioral Interventions to Prevent HIV in Diverse Adolescent Men Who Have Sex with Men 
• Building Population Health Research Capacity in the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands
• NIMHD Transdisciplinary Collaborative Centers for Health Disparities Research on Chronic Disease Prevention (U54)