News You Can Use

Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Resources Now Available

The NIH Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Coordinating Committee met on August 2 and discussed several social and behavioral sciences initiatives that reflect resources and news that NIHers can use.

Updated Clinical Trials Training

OBSSR released an updated electronic learning (eLearning) course for social and behavioral research conducted in the clinical setting. All NIH researchers who participate in clinical trials are expected to participate in this training and should retake the training every three years. 

The Good Clinical Practice (GCP) for Social and Behavioral Research eLearning Course features updated information on regulatory changes and reporting requirements, a new module on community and stakeholder engagement, and the training now features enhanced accessibility for improved navigation.

A certificate of completion will be awarded after completing all 10 modules and knowledge tests. To access the course, or for more information, click here. 

White House Blueprint for Social and Behavioral Sciences

“Human behavior is a key component of every major national and global challenge we face,” according to the executive summary of a new report titled “Blueprint for the Use of Social and Behavioral Science to Advance Evidence-based Policymaking.”

The report was crafted by the Subcommittee on Social and Behavioral Sciences of the Committee on Science, which is part of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Several NIHers participated in this initiative, including Jane Simoni (OBSSR), Bill Klein (NCI), Alyssa Harrell (NCI), Audie Atienza (NCATS), Paul Han (NCI), and others.

Learn more about NIH’s role in the planning and development of this effort and download the whole report at this link.

ODP Touts New Resource

In other news you can use, ODP announced an open-access supplemental journal issue “Design and Analytic Methods to Evaluate Multilevel Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities,” which was published by Prevention Science in July.

Learn more about the 12 featured papers highlighting best practices from methods to analyses at this link.

Other resources mentioned at the August committee meeting included the Methods: Mind the Gap Webinar Series; and the NIH Research Methods Resources website.