CDC's Prevention Research Centers Program

In This Article

Abstract and Introduction

Introduction

Chronic diseases account for more than 75% of the nation's health care costs, and much of that cost is preventable (Remington, Brownson, & Wegner, 2010). Primary prevention of chronic disease requires transdisciplinary skills and collaborations to generate a strong evidence base to guide implementation and dissemination of programs, policies, and systems-level change. A focus on the most efficient and cost-effective approaches is critical for sustainable change. Prevention Research Centers (PRCs) take this approach. The 37 PRCs, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are a network of academic, community, and public health partners (health care institutions, businesses, public health agencies, and community organizations) committed to conducting research that benefits the research participants and the communities in which they live.

Prevention research funding provided by state and federal governments is leveraged by PRCs to bring millions of dollars into state economies, providing jobs and important services to community members as a part of the research process. A unique feature of the PRCs' core funding is that, unlike most other research funding, it provides essential infrastructure to support the translation of research to practice through community partners, thus ensuring greater impact and efficiency of research dollars. Using this core support, PRCs are also successful at leveraging additional research and program funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH); foundations; and other federal, state, and local sources. On average, for every $1 received from the CDC program in 2010 core funds, the 32 Comprehensive PRCs generated an additional $5.42 in funding. Research dollars invested in PRCs result in direct community benefits that can be sustained over time rather than end with the grant cycle. The applied public health research described below exemplifies the crucial work conducted by the PRCs.

J Prim Prev. 2011;32(3):131-134. © 2011 Springer
Springer Science+Business Media

Cite this: CDC's Prevention Research Centers Program - Medscape - Aug 25, 2011.

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