Conducting Rural Health Research, Needs Assessments, and Program Evaluations – Resources

Digital Health Interventions for All? Examining Inclusivity Across All Stages of the Digital Health Intervention Research Process
Discusses the benefits of digital health interventions as well as the digital health divide that creates barriers to inclusive research processes. Highlights study design interventions during the recruitment, enrollment, engagement, efficacy/effectiveness, and retention stages that can contribute to inclusivity for underserved populations, including rural.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Krukowski, Kathryn M. Ross, Max J. Western, et al.
Citation: Trials, 25, 98
Date: 01/2024
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Empowering Change: Promoting and Expanding Evidence-Based Programs in Rural Communities: A Toolkit for Community-Based Organizations
Toolkit identifying strategies to plan, implement, and sustain evidence-based health promotion programs in rural areas with a focus on the needs of older adults. Highlights partnerships, transportation, technology, and marketing and outreach for their ability to successfully impact health promotion programs.
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Aging
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Recruitment in Appalachian, Rural and Older Adult Populations in an Artificial Intelligence World: Study Using Human-Mediated Follow-Up
Evaluates the effectiveness of a research study recruitment strategy using multiple contact methods for the rural, older adult population in Appalachian Pennsylvania. Includes rural and urban comparisons within Appalachian Pennsylvania and discusses common barriers to research participation for this group.
Author(s): Tabitha Milliken, Donielle Beiler, Samantha Hoffman, Ashlee Olenginski, Vanessa Troiani
Citation: JMIR Formative Research, 8(2024), 38189
Date: 2024
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How Rural Is All of Us? Comparing Characteristics of Rural Participants in the National Institute of Health's All of Us Research Program to Other National Data Sources
Compares the All of Us health research dataset that utilizes self-reported rurality to other nationally representative data sources that represent rurality. Discusses implications of using the All for Us dataset as a proxy measure of rurality in health research.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Shawna R. Beese, Demetrius A. Abshire, Kevin J. Bennett
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 745-751
Date: 2024
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Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Rural Community Pharmacies: A Protocol for a Stepped Wedge Randomized Clinical Trial
Evaluates implementation strategies of rural-located pharmacies looking to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in their communities. Describes how the study will examine intervention fidelity, effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, adoption, reach, and cost.
Author(s): Geoffrey Curran, Cynthia Mosley, Abigail Gamble, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science, 18, 72
Date: 12/2023
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Cross-Cultural Understanding and Cultural Humility: Training for Early Childhood Researchers Working with American Indian and Alaska Native Communities
Training materials to help early childhood research staff develop the skills needed to work respectfully with American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities as partners in ethical research. Includes facilitator materials, training modules, and handouts.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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Connecting Minority-Serving Institutions and Rural Research
Discusses minority serving institutions (MSI) and their role in rural research. Highlights rural-focused research systems, research of MSIs, and opportunities for integration of the two.
Author(s): Marjory Givens, Brian Dabson, Hilary Joyner, Olivia Little
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Development and Evaluation of the Delivery-Based HEALED Produce Rx Program for Uninsured Patients With Diabetes in Rural Eastern North Carolina
A program evaluation brief that provides an overview of the Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle to Enhance Diabetes management (HEALED) program that surveyed patients in 2019 and then delivered plant-based foods to 40 participants as a part of a produce prescription (PRx) program in 2021. Reports on how PRx programs and related resources such as cooking instructions can positively impact diabetes patients. Discusses the importance of performing a needs assessment, pilot programming, and a formative evaluation in rural and underserved programs to remove food access barriers such as lack of transportation and involve participants in their own wellness journeys.
Author(s): Lauren R. Sastre, Brandon Stroud, Elisa Smith, Khadijah Hendrix, Olivia McBride
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 20
Date: 06/2023
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Building Trust and Visibility Through Community-Based Participatory Research At Rural Minority-Serving Institutions
Examines some of the driving forces and conditions ensuring a rural voice in design and action, the alignment of rural fields and actors, and an accurate rural narrative. Explores rural Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and approaches to community-based participatory research that can be used to better understand MSIs' nature and practices.
Author(s): Marybeth Gasman, Alice Ginsberg, Levon T. Esters
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group
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Rural Healthy People 2030, featuring Timothy Callaghan and Morgan Kassabian
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast focused on the Rural Healthy People 2030 project, featuring Timothy Callaghan and Morgan Kassabian. Discusses the rural health priorities covered by this project and changes in rural health concerns over time. Also describes the methods used for collecting insights from rural stakeholders.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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