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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Research methods and resources

Engaging Rural Communities in Cancer Prevention and Control Research: Development and Preliminary Insights from a Community-Based Research Registry
Discusses the establishment of the Virginia Living Well (VALW) registry in 2018 and the methodology involved to include rural and underrepresented populations in cancer research through community outreach. Includes county-level maps of cancer data in Virginia as well as demographic data on VALW participants broken down by employment, income, insurance status, cancer screening frequency, race, rural versus urban, and more.
Author(s): Maria D. Thomson, April R. Williams, Arnethea L. Sutton, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 10(21), 7726-7734
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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Human Services Programs in Rural Contexts: Mixed Methods Analysis, Integration, and Triangulation Plan
Analysis plan outlining the research design and methodology of a study of human services delivery in rural areas funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Covers stakeholder engagement, research questions and qualitative data collection, data analysis, and integration of findings.
Author(s): Dallas J. Elgin, Kelly McAleer, James Murdoch, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: 2M Research, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Urban Institute
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Development of a Culturally Anchored Qualitative Approach to Conduct and Analyze Focus Group Narratives Collected in Diné (Navajo) Communities to Understand the Impacts of the Gold King Mine Spill of 2015
Presents an overview of a focus group study of the impacts of the Gold King Mine Spill of 2015 on communities in the Navajo Nation in partnership with community members. Discusses the process of developing the partnership between university, tribal college, and Navajo Nation representatives, developing the focus group methodology, and conducting the focus groups, highlighting the cultural practices and leadership of the Navajo Nation.
Author(s): Nicolette I. Teufel-Shone, Carmenlita Chief, Jennifer R. Richards, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), 9402
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
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Inequities in the Geographic Accessibility of COVID-19 Biomedical Therapeutic Trials in the United States
Research report examining geographic proximity to COVID-19 biomedical therapeutic trial sites, breaking down U.S. clinical trial data by rural/urban location, age, and race/ethnicity. Charts depict drive times to trial sites for each demographic group, comparing rural and urban populations.
Author(s): Rohan Khazanchi, Samuel D. Powers, Elizabeth T. Rogawski McQuade, Kathleen A. McManus
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
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Identifying Disparities in Health Outcomes and Mortality for American Indian and Alaska Native Populations Using Tribally Disaggregated Vital Statistics and Health Survey Data
Study examining disaggregated health surveillance and mortality data for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations, discussing the challenges of data collection related to tribal-national enrollment and racial identification. Addresses health disparities and severe health risks among AI/AN populations and the need for collaboration with tribal nations to obtain accurate data.
Author(s): Desi Small-Rodriguez, Randall Akee
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 111(S2), S126-132
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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Federal Agencies' Investment in Rural Cancer Control Fosters Partnerships between Researchers and Rural Communities
Highlights how researchers and rural communities are working together to address rural cancer prevention and control, with support from federal funding. Discusses projects that address health behaviors, cancer screening, vaccination, and rural participation in clinical trials.
Author(s): Mary Charlton, Whitney Zahnd, Jennifer Patterson, Kimberly Merchant
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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A Design and Dissemination Studio: Engaging Stakeholders in Research on Rural Health Professions Education and Training
Video explaining a community-engaged approach to the design and implementation of research in rural health professions education, adapted from a process originally designed to engage community members in cancer research. Describes studio objectives and structure of the process.
Author(s): Randall Longenecker
Date: 06/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural PREP
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Exploring the Role of Critical Health Literacy in Addressing the Social Determinants of Health
Brief reporting on a workshop held by the Roundtable on Health Literacy that explored Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and health literacy to serve vulnerable communities. Discusses SDOH models, research methods to engage communities, and critical health literacy. Project examples include work with rural Native American communities.
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Indicators of Rurality: How Should We Define "Rural" and "Urban" Communities?
Provides an overview of six federal datasets and how each is used to classify urban and rural communities. Offers recommendations for how to use each indicator of rurality.
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Institute for People Place and Possibility
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A Tribal Citizen Science Project Benefits Drinking Water Quality and Builds Local Capacity
Discusses a participatory project to improve drinking water quality in rural Maine, including a partnership between researchers and the Passamaquoddy Tribal government. Describes efforts to build trust and conduct community-engaged research.
Citation: Partnerships for Environmental Public Health Newsletter, 12(5)
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
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