We were thrilled last year when Fitbit approached us about being part of the Health Equity Research Initiative, a program that helps fund and provide resources to researchers focused on advancing health equity research across the United States.
Together, we awarded a total of $300,000 in devices and services to six early-career researchers.The small-but-mighty pool of researchers is using Fitbit devices and Fitabase together in order to determine potential for impact or a deeper understanding of major issues tied to negative social and structural determinants of health in the U.S. These include poor sleep health in transgender youth, systemic racism’s impact on maternal and fetal health, and the link between socioeconomic status and poor nutrition and low physical activity.
This year’s program, which kicks off today, will expand to issue awards to even more U.S. researchers with funding, devices, Google Cloud credits and access to the Fitabase data platform. Potential awards include the following:
- Up to $50,000 in research funding
- Up to $10,000 in Fitabase services
- Up to $20,000 in Google Cloud Credits
- Up to $45,000 in Fitbit devices
The program is open for applications as of Sept. 12, 2022. Additional key dates are:
- Application due date: Oct. 12
- Notification of awards: Mid November
When Fitabase launched a decade ago, we had a clear mission in mind: to help further research using consumer wearables. We’ve since supported more than 1,200 research studies, many of which have helped shed light on health disparities and relevant opportunities for change in the United States. It is our honor to be part of this expanded initiative and add more seats to the research table.
You can see more details and apply at the Google Health Equity Research Initiative site.