Auburn University’s College of Education has received an $850,000 grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) Foundation to support research into health disparities in rural communities. This is the first grant Auburn has received from the BMS Foundation.

The funding will support a pioneering study that examines the impact of discrimination on Black people living with multiple sclerosis in rural communities. Findings will help researchers develop customized support for patients to improve the disproportionate health outcomes in this population.

“For decades, the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation has worked with our grantees to improve health outcomes for underserved communities around the world. We are proud to support this project that will provide critical data about a population that has largely not been included in studies in the past,” said John Damonti, BMS Foundation president. “We are confident that ultimately this work will help more patients have better health outcomes and advance health equity on a broad scale.”

Evelyn Hunter, a licensed psychologist and associate professor of counseling psychology in Auburn’s College of Education, will lead the project, collaborating with Dr. William Meador, a neurologist with the Multiple Sclerosis Center at UAB; Marilyn Cornish, Auburn associate professor of counseling psychology; and Candice Hargons, associate professor of counseling psychology at the University of Kentucky.

Evelyn Hunter, an associate professor of counseling psychology in Auburn University’s College of Education, will lead a study about the impact of discrimination on Black people living with multiple sclerosis in rural communities. (contributed)

Multiple sclerosis attacks the central nervous system, disrupting and interrupting communication between the brain and body. The cause remains unknown.

Researchers estimate nearly one million people in the U.S. — including three of every 1,000 Black people — are living with the disease.

“The Black community experiences a more aggressive progression and greater incidence of disability from multiple sclerosis than other groups,” Hunter said. “Because this community is also underrepresented in research studies, scientists don’t yet know why the disease affects them differently. Our expectation is that this research and the psychological and medical insights that follow will improve the health and quality of life for those living with this disease.”

During the study, researchers will collaboratively develop a patient-centered psychological intervention, with the potential to significantly advance science. The expected outcomes include a roadmap for an evidence-based psychological treatment plan that will provide a strong foundation for specialists to move toward clinical trials.

“Research with real-world impact is foundational to the work we do,” said Jeffrey T. Fairbrother, dean of Auburn’s College of Education and Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professor. “This grant will help us advance our goals of increasing knowledge and making a difference in people’s lives.”

A version of this story originally appeared on Auburn University’s website.