Hampton University serves as the lead institution for the Hampton University (HU)-Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Transdisciplinary Collaborative Center (TCC) for research on minority men’s health.  The Hampton University TCC (HU-TCC), alternatively known as the Hampton University Minority Men’s Health Initiative (MMHI), takes a comprehensive and meaningful approach to narrowing the gender gap of health disparities by harnessing the resources and expertise of historically black colleges and universities.  These HBCUs will collaborate in developing, advancing and implementing innovative transdisciplinary cross-tiered research that includes intervention components of education, training, and outreach to effectively and efficiently reduce health disparities in minority men. 

The Hampton University Minority Men’s Health Initiative will develop translational research models that are sustainable and transferable across communities, regions and the nation.  To this end, integrated research partnerships have been forged in the following areas:  cancer (Clark Atlanta University and Hampton University), cardiovascular disease (Jackson State University and Hampton University), violence prevention (Hampton University and Howard University), and diabetes and obesity (North Carolina A&T State University and Saint Augustine’s University).  Hampton University Minority Men’s Health Initiative is devoted to increasing research infrastructure and capacity of its partnering historically black colleges and universities. 

Vision Statement

To eliminate health disparities affecting minority men in six targeted areas: cancer, cardiovascular disease, violence prevention, diabetes and obesity, and melanoma in Hispanics by, transforming cultural lifestyles resulting in healthy bodies, healthy families and healthy communities of minority men and ultimately of all Americans.   

Mission Statement

To promote and deliver the highest quality of research, education, training, and outreach to combat and eliminate health disparities affecting minority men in cancer, cardiovascular disease, violence prevention, diabetes and obesity, and melanoma in Hispanics and ultimately all Americans. 

Our primary objective to eliminate health disparities affecting minority men will be achieved through the following specific aims:

Aim 1:  Create a transparent and full participatory coalition of partners that shares experience, expertise and resources in order to collaboratively design, implement, evaluate and disseminate innovative transdisciplinary programs to reduce health disparities in men; conduct a one-year planning phase to solidify and expand the coalition of HBCUs with local/state-wide partners and establish regional infrastructures that will support the proposed research, implementation, and dissemination of activities; conduct a formal, comprehensive assessment to identify ongoing relevant research projects, outreach capacities, as well as, barriers and needs unique to the targeted areas and population; establish a quarterly community forum to encourage and engage participation focusing on identifying and developing core projects aimed to reducing health disparities in men; and design and develop a website for the HU – HBCU TCC to actively and efficiently encourage communication, coordination and collaboration. 

Aim 2:  Establish five cores (Administrative, Outreach and Partnerships, Research, Intervention and Implementation, Pilot Projects Program) to support proposed sub-projects and pilot projects, as well as, future research activities.

Aim 3:  Develop and implement a sustainable and transferrable collaborative research model in four areas (cancer; cardiovascular disease, violence prevention, and diabetes/obesity) to positively influence and affect the health outcomes of minority men.

Aim 4:  Evaluate the research, implementation, and dissemination activities to promote optimal use of the TCCs resources by HBCUs, government, community partners and other vital stakeholders.  The potential impact of activities resulting from HU – HBCU TCC is a greater number of sustainable and transferrable cost-effective collaborations to reduce and narrow the gender gap in health disparities.