What Demographic Information Does NIH Collect on Researchers, and How Is It Used?

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NIH collects demographic information including sex, ethnicity, race, and disability status from researchers as part of their eRA personal profile. Providing demographic information is voluntary and an option exists to select “Do not wish to provide” for each category.

The demographic data collected are confidential and used for aggregate statistical reporting only, not for consideration of funding of individual grant applications. Collecting demographic data as part of the eRA personal profile provides information for NIH to better understand its supported research workforce and program participation.

For more, please visit the following resources:

screenshot of demographics section of eRA profile showing the following fields (with the option 'do not wish to provide' for each): sex, ethnicity and race, race, and disability. There are multiple disclaimers noting the information provided is confidential and used for aggregate statistical reporting only.
Screenshot from eRA personal profile

 

4 Comments

  1. Maybe someone will finally listen here, as I have tried to report this issue to the help desk to no avail.

    The information you put down on type of disability in the eRA commons profile is NOT always used in aggregate. My type of disability shows up on my 2271 form (appointment to a NRSA). This form is visible to T32 directors. This information should be kept private (especially since some have proposed to increase the number of categories used to describe disability).

    1. Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention! It has now been fixed. The information should no longer be visible.

      1. Thanks, but I can still see my response for type of disability. Note that the general “do you have a disability?” question (#13) correctly only has the completed box, but the follow-up question “If yes, which of the following categories describe your disability(ies):” still shows the four disability category responses and the one I selected in my profile is marked.

  2. I would like to know what, if any, information NIH collects about DEI of grant recipients or other pertinent groups. I am organizing a conference supported by NIDA that likes to know our demographics of conference delegates, but its unclear what information we can ask that is appropriate. Of course we can always include a ‘prefer not to say’ but can/should we ask about transgender, non-binary and other LGBTQ+?

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