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Resources by Topic: Research methods and resources

Evaluation of an Enhanced Modified Kalman Filter Approach for Estimating Health Outcomes in Small Subpopulations: Data Evaluation and Methods Research
Assesses the performance of the enhanced modified Kalman filter (eMKF) as a methodology to estimate health outcomes for small subpopulations.
Author(s): Lauren M. Rossen, Makram Talih, Priyam Patel, Morgan Earp, Jennifer D. Parker
Citation: Vital and Health Statistics, 2(208)
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Gaps in Communication Theory Paradigms when Conducting Implementation Science Research: Qualitative Observations from Interviews with Administrators, Implementors, and Evaluators of Rural Health Programs
Examines transactional and process communication styles related to implementation and evaluation strategies. Utilizes interviews from 28 evaluators, 12 implementors, and 12 administrators involved in health program initiatives funded by the Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Rural Health to evaluate information exchange during communication. Discusses implementation science (IS) constructs in rural health program research.
Author(s): Nicole L. Johnson, Jennifer Van Tiem, Erin Balkenende, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science, 19, 66
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Building On and Tailoring To: Adapting a Cancer Caregiver Psychoeducational Intervention for Rural Settings
Describes the process for adapting the CARING intervention for rural cancer patient caregivers. Offers lessons learned related to intervention selection, involving impacted populations, and communicating with the original intervention developers.
Author(s): Erin E. Kent, Kelly R. Tan, Zev M. Nakamura, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 13(7), e70187
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Drivers of Mental Health Disparities for Diverse, Rural, LGBTQ+ Communities
Webinar recording on factors influencing mental health disparities for rural LGBTQ+ people. Discusses minority stress frameworks for sexual and gender minority people, key factors influencing mental health outcomes in rural areas, and recruitment and research practices to reflect community diversity in sexuality, gender, age, race, and ethnicity. Features the perspectives of teams of researchers from the John Hopkins University School of Public Health and Emory University School of Public Health.
Additional links: Transcript
Author(s): Savannah Winter, Marian Graves-Valentine, Shoshanna Fine, Kirsten F. Siebach, Sarah Murray
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute of Mental Health
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The Implicit and Explicit Exclusion of People with Disabilities in Clinical Trials
Reports on barriers for people with disabilities in participating in clinical research trials and offers recommendations to various federal agencies for removing those barriers. Discusses rural concerns including opportunities for participation due to distance.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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Performance of Health Care Service Area Definitions for Capturing Variation in Inpatient Care and Social Determinants of Health
Examines various health care service area (HCSA) definitions and their ability to capture hospitalizations and social determinants of health (SDOH) heterogeneity in the patient population. Provides descriptive characteristics for each HCSA type, such as median population and land size, as well as characteristics of the hospital sample. Discusses which HCSA type was best able to capture hospital discharges and population heterogenity in rural areas.
Author(s): Hannah Crook, Manuel Horta, Kenneth A. Michelson, John A. Graves
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(4)
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Community-Based Participatory Obesity Prevention Interventions in Rural Communities: A Scoping Review
Reviews 12 rural childhood obesity prevention studies which included a community-engaged research component. Analyzes study characteristics including type of intervention used, level of community engagement, outcome measurement, and more. Discusses the benefits of improved community engagement in obesity interventions for rural, school-aged children.
Author(s): Saagar Dhanjani, Haley Allen, Beatriz Varman, et al.
Citation: Nutrients, 16(14), 2201
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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Tailored Approach to Participant Recruitment and Retention to Maximize Health Equity in Pediatric Cancer Research
Analyzes methods to improve recruitment and retention strategies to promote equity in pediatric cancer research studies. Focuses on using pre-approach, initial connection, building connection, and follow-up strategies to increase participation from Black or African American, Latino/Hispanic, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian and Pacific Islander, those with low socioeconomic status, and rural populations.
Author(s): Carolyn R. Bates, Renee M. Gilbert, Kelsey M. Dean, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Research Methodology, 24, 161
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
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Transformation of the Clinical Trial Enterprise: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Summarizes findings from a literature review and expert interviews regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on clinical trials. Explores ways that clinical trials that continued during the pandemic mitigated disruptions and lessons learned. Includes discussions regarding how decentralized clinical trials and digital health technologies reduce barriers for rural and underserved populations to enroll and participate in clinical trials.
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Co-Bio Consulting, HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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The Poverty Area Measures Data Product
Provides background and technical information on the 2022 Poverty Area Measures (PAM) data product that examines the geography of poverty in the United States. Includes discussion on data selection, methodological considerations, and more, with analysis of poverty measures according to rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Tracey Farrigan, Austin Sanders
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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