Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

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

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Conducting Rural Health Research, Needs Assessments, and Program Evaluations.

Assessing the Use of Constructs from the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research in U.S. Rural Cancer Screening Promotion Programs: A Systematic Search and Scoping Review
Reports on a literature review examining the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains and constructs in rural cancer screening promotion programs. Explains the 5 CFIR domains of intervention, inner setting, outer setting, individuals, and process that influence the success of implementing interventions. Discusses 15 studies that examine how CFIR is used and reflects on how cancer screening promotion programs can be improved in rural areas.
Author(s): Jennifer L. Moss, Kelsey C. Stoltzfus, Madyson L. Popalis, William A. Calo, Jennifer L. Kraschnewski
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 23, 48
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Access to Jobs, Economic Opportunities, and Education in Rural Areas
Provides an overview of the challenges experienced in rural communities such as connectivity issues; access to goods, social services, and healthcare; and a lack of educational and economic opportunities. Includes implementation strategies for rural communities to evaluate, plan for, and improve accessibility, along with related case studies.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Transportation Research Board
view details
Cancer Clinical Trials: Federal Actions and Selected Non-Federal Practices to Facilitate Diversity of Patients
Examines actions taken by federal agencies to increase diverse population enrollment in cancer clinical trials as well as practices by non-federal cancer centers to facilitate diverse enrollment. Discusses strategies such as collaboration, reducing barriers, data standardization, training, utilization of community ambassadors, and more. Focuses on inclusion of underrepresented groups such as racial/ethnic minorities, young adults, older adults, those with low incomes, women, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons, and people living in rural communities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Barriers and Facilitators for Low-Dose Computed Tomography Lung Cancer Screening in Rural Populations in the United States: A Scoping Review Protocol
Describes a scoping review methodology to research rural health disparities related to low-dose computed tomography lung cancer screenings in rural areas of the United States.
Author(s): Michelle Palokas, Elizabeth Hinton, Roy Duhe, et al.
Citation: JBI Evidence Synthesis, 20(11), 2727-2733
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
view details
Streamlining Research Access
Features an interview with Per Ostmo, Program Director of the Rural Health Research Gateway. Discusses the mission of the Gateway and highlights some of the research projects rural health research centers (RHRCs) have undertaken. Highlights some challenges facing rural healthcare delivery and points to some conclusions drawn from RHRC research.
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Physician Publishing, Inc.
view details
Data Equity in American Indian/Alaska Native Populations: Respecting Sovereign Nations' Right to Meaningful and Usable COVID-19 Data
Perspective piece describing concerns related to data collection, equity, and public health planning for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities following the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses data collection during the pandemic and emerging studies that utilize AI/AN data, noting concerns about control of data.
Author(s): Vickie M. Mays, Abigail Echo-Hawk, Susan D. Cochran, Randall Akee
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 112(10), 1416-1420
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
view details
Evaluation of a Civic Engagement Approach to Catalyze Built Environment Change and Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Rural Residents: A Cluster (Community) Randomized Controlled Trial
Provides an overview of a study that will analyze the Change Club (CC) intervention that focuses on built environment and health behaviors in rural communities. The CC intervention utilizes the civic engagement interventions for built environment change (CEBEC) approach to promote nutrition and physical activity. Discusses research plan for recruiting participants, conducting interventions, assessing and evaluating the program, and disseminating data and results.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, Karla L. Hanson, Deyaun Villarreal, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 1674
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
view details
Measuring the Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Diné and White Mountain Apache School Personnel, Families, and Students: Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study
Examines the protocol for the "Project SafeSchools" (PSS) study, which aims to analyze barriers, facilitators, and overall educational, social-emotional, and health impacts of reopening schools on the Diné Nation and the White Mountain Apache Tribal lands after COVID-19 closures. Discusses recruitment, participatory research model, community engagement, and data collection methods.
Author(s): Joshuaa D. Allison-Burbank, Allison Ingalls, Paul Rebman, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 1481
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
view details
A Closer Look at Rural Populations: Multistate Research Monitors Changes and Issues Affecting Rural Areas
Highlights the work of the Hatch Multistate Research Project "W4001: Social, Economic and Environmental Causes and Consequences of Demographic Change in Rural America." Outlines the key issues identified by the project, including population trends, health crises, natural resources, natural disasters, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and access.
Author(s): Sara Delheimer
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
view details
Translating Complex Research Messaging for Rural Communities
A brief video describing how a research team helped make information on comparative clinical effectiveness research and patient-centered outcomes research accessible to a rural audience.
Author(s): Laverne Morrow Carter
Date: 05/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
view details

Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:


Last Updated: 9/30/2024