Project Grant R01NR022068

The National Institute of Nursing Research awarded the Regents of the University of Minnesota $3,585,692 on July 28, 2026, under the Nursing Research program (CFDA 93.361) to conduct a mixed-methods investigation into carework as a social determinant of health and its impact on worker well-being.

The research combines quantitative analyses of national longitudinal datasets—the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the National Health Interview Survey—with qualitative interviews of care workers to examine whether care work is associated with adverse health outcomes relative to comparable non-care occupations over the life course. The study will assess physical and mental health outcomes and test whether pathways such as workplace devaluation and poor working conditions drive disparate health impacts across racial and ethnic minority groups. The research encompasses workers in healthcare, education, and social services who provide essential care for the ill, elderly, individuals with disabilities, and children. The recipient will establish a community-based advisory board and policy advisory board to guide research and dissemination.

The award is a project grant with performance at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The period of performance runs through June 30, 2030.