Comments due February 22, 2019
PAA urges members to respond to a request for comments on a revised definition of behavioral and social science research (BSSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The NIH seeks comments on the following:
- Is the definition clear? If it is not clear, please suggest language that would improve the clarity.
- How well does the definition capture the full range of health-related behavioral and social sciences research at the NIH? If not well, please suggest modifications to the definition that would reflect the full range of health-related behavioral and social sciences research supported by the NIH.
- How well does the definition distinguish behavioral and social sciences research from other disciplines of research? If not well, please suggest modifications to the definition that would appropriately distinguish behavioral or social sciences research from other areas of research.
Why should PAA members respond?
NIH has not substantially revised its BSSR definition since 1996. The definition is used to guide a variety of trans-NIH research and data collection activities. Further, the definition is used to explain to the public how NIH defines and categorizes BSSR.
PAA encourages its members to consider responding and to encourage OBSSR to: 1) expand the definition to include population health and the population sciences; 2) clarify the term “environment” so it captures the social as well as physical environment; and 3) emphasize the interdisciplinary, as well as multidisciplinary, nature of BSSR.
How to submit a response
Responses must be submitted by February 22, 2019 through OBSSR’s crowdsourcing IdeaScale website, where users may also view and comment on others’ ideas.
#latest-news