NARCH Overall Abstract The overall goal of the Center is to support health research projects that benefit Tribal Members, develop relationships to enhance tribal governance and partnerships in health research, conduct research that honors Tribal sovereignty, and promote a cadre of AI/AN researchers in health disparities research. The University of Arizona and ITCA missions and activities differ in deliberate ways and the AIRCH unites our Tribally governed 501(c) 3 and our research intensive institution to provide a collaborative service to our 21 member Arizona Tribes, and the Arizona AIAN population. The ITCA and the University of Arizona are fully committed to the continuing success and impact of AIRCH and are prepared to provide our full institutional resources. Together we aim to advance the impact of health research by leveraging the university system’s medical center and health and educational programs to create more effective pathways to benefit our Tribal constituents and to support Native students and faculty. The AIRCH XI is comprised of one core (Administration) and four projects to support the following NARCH objectives: • To support research opportunities for the enhancement of students, faculty, and researchers concerned with AI/AN health; • To build capacity/infrastructure within AI/AN communities to ensure sustainability of biomedical research and the ability to address pertinent health issues within Tribal communities; • To disseminate effective individual, community, and population-level interventions to reduce and encourage the elimination of health disparities; and • To support research that will reduce health disparities in health and social consequences among AI/AN.

NARCH XI - American Indian Research Center for Health Overall Narrative The epidemiological profile of tribal communities in Arizona compares poorly with non-tribal communities in every category of health status indicators. American Indians, in general, experience a disproportionately high mortality rate. The average life expectancy for American Indians is 71.4 years old, while the US general populations’ life expectancy is 75.5 years old. American Indians have a 638% greater mortality rate due to alcoholism, a 400% greater mortality rate due to tuberculosis, a 291% greater mortality rate due to diabetes, and a 215% mortality rate due to accidents as compared to the U.S. general population. The ITCA American Indian Research for Health (AIRCH) was established in 2000 to reduce health disparities among American Indians and Alaska Natives by engaging tribes in research that is scientifically sound. ITCA works to improve the capacity of tribes in Arizona, including areas related to health. With over 60 staff and 30 projects, ITCA provides on- going technical assistance and over 100 annual trainings to Tribes in program planning and development, research and data collection, and resource development. The overall goal of the American Indian Research Center for Health is to support health research projects that benefit Tribal Members, develop relationships to enhance tribal governance and partnerships in health research, conduct research that honors Tribal sovereignty, and promote a cadre of AI/AN researchers in health disparities research. The University of Arizona and ITCA missions and activities differ in deliberate ways and the AIRCH unites our Tribally governed 501(c) 3 and our research intensive institution to provide a collaborative service to our 21 member Arizona Tribes, and the Arizona AIAN population. The institutions are fully committed to the continuing success and impact of AIRCH and are prepared to provide resources to aim of advancing the impact of health research benefiting Tribal constituents and to support Native students and faculty.