Week 1 Main Post Description of the National Institutes of Health

Week 1 Main Post Description of the National Institutes of Health

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is one of the world’s leading medical research centers and serves as the primary source for health research on the federal level (NIH, 2015). The NIH aims to protect and improve health, prevent disease, expand medical and scientific knowledge, and continuously promote the highest level of scientific integrity (NIH, 2015). The NIH provides leadership and direction for programs that are intended to improve the health of the nation and support continued scientific research (NIH, 2015). Within the NIH, there are many NIH institutes that have a more specific focus. The NIH institutes include the National Cancer Institute, National Eye Institute, National Institute on Aging, etc. (NIH, 2018). The NIH website offers endless resources for health care professionals and laymen.

The NIH and Evidence-Based Practice

When exploring the NIH website, evidence-based practice can be seen around every corner. The NIH home page immediately introduces evidence-based information regarding COVID-19. Traveling to the “About NIH” section reveals and explanation of how the NIH has dramatically improved the health of the American people. The website states that NIH-funded research has resulted in an increased average life span, a significant reduction in cancer diagnosis and death, and a drastic reduction in disability rates (NIH, n.d.). The NIH mission statement is to, “seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability” (NIH, 2017). This mission statement is clearly founded in evidence-based practice and research. The NIH website shows that the NIH is founded in evidence-based practice along with innovation and cultivating new knowledge by cultivating world-class scientists.

Perception of the NIH

My perception of the NIH did not change when exploring the website. Throughout my time as a health care professional and student, I have spent a significant amount of time on the NIH website and relied on the NIH for high-quality and reliable information. Throughout the course of the pandemic, the NIH has struggled to have a positive perception with the public. The NIH states that they will continue to be a credible source of scientific and health information (NIH, 2018). Additionally, the NIH states that it is their goal to share strategies and best practices with the public so that the public can have a better understanding of research that is being done and its importance in terms of health (NIH, 2018).

References

List of NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. National Institutes of Health. (2018). https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-almanac/nih-organization.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2015, July 7). About the NIH. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-almanac/about-nih