DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from Applicant's Description): Research Triangle Institute (RTI) proposes to serve as the Data Coordinating Center (D.C.) for the NIH-DC Initiative to Reduce Infant Mortality in Minority Populations, Phase II. As the D.C. for Phase I, RTI has altered the staff mix and emphasis of work to meet the changing demands of this multifaceted project. RTI's matrix management structure provides considerable flexibility in allocating and changing resources with the status of protocols. RTI recognizes ongoing and new responsibilities that must be undertaken by the D.C. in Phase II to continue a most successful operation. These include: (1) Phase I activities; (2) additional support in logistic management; (3) involvement in epidemiological and intervention aspects of protocols in addition to statistical, data capture and data management components; (4) "reining in of site coordinators in managing data collection outside of the traditional clinic and hospital settings; and (5) development of plans for allocating the limited population in DC among the competing protocols before implementation. The senior staff proposed for this D.C. includes the current leaders of the D.C. for Phase I in their existing roles: Dr. Vijaya Rao (PI); Ms. Jutta Thornberry (Co-PI, data collection); Dr. Nabil El-Khorazaty (Co-PI, statistics); and Ms. Margo Brinkley (computer systems). Expertise in epidemiology and intervention methodology for the D.C. will be provided, respectively, by Dr. Tim Wilcosky, an RTI senior epidemiologist, and Mr. David Austin, an RTI research community analyst. Dr. Margaret McCann, a consulting epidemiologist, will bring additional expertise in maternal and child health research. Other proposed staff include a logistic support administrator and a secretary. Additional personnel will be assigned to the D.C. as needs arise. RTI has a Rockville, MD, office near NICHD. RTI will take a leadership role in the areas of statistical and epidemiological design and analysis, intervention methodology, data capture methods, data management and processing, quality control, and training of the data collection management personnel and data collectors. Methods applied in these areas will be the state-of-the art. The investigators will develop and maintain a website that is consistent with the Initiative's environment.
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