Better awareness, referrals, and education for people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis

RFA-DP-23-002, Improving Health Outcomes for Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease through Evidence-based Awareness, Referral, and Education Programs

NIH-funded research Crohn's and Colitis Fdn of America, INC. · NIH-11135289

This project uses proven awareness, referral, and education programs to help people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis get diagnosed and treated sooner.

Quick facts

Grant typeU01 cooperative agreement
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionCrohn's and Colitis Fdn of America, INC. NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11135289 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

From your perspective, the project adapts evidence-based education and referral programs to reach people with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, with special attention to children and under-served racial and ethnic groups. It partners with clinics, community organizations, and care teams to improve how quickly symptoms are recognized, referrals are made, and treatment is started. The team will build on findings from prior work like the INPUT study and track outcomes such as diagnostic delays, hospitalizations, and access to care over several years. The aim is to develop practical approaches that clinics and community groups can use to reduce disparities in IBD care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis—or those with symptoms suggestive of IBD—particularly individuals diagnosed in childhood or from racial, ethnic, or low-income communities—are the most likely candidates for these programs.

Not a fit: Patients who already receive timely, specialized IBD care or who are not near participating clinics or community partners may not directly benefit from these programs.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to earlier diagnoses, better access to care, and fewer complications from IBD, especially for children and under-served communities.

How similar studies have performed: Related awareness and referral programs have improved diagnosis and care in other conditions and the INPUT findings support tailoring such approaches to IBD, though large-scale national evidence specifically in IBD remains limited.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.