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

Using Data to Define Rural Populations
Offers a step-by-step guide for developing a rural community baseline dataset, and identifies links to helpful resources and existing datasets, with the intent to help State Offices of Rural Health (SORH) focus on the demographics influencing health and the health needs of the rural communities within their state.
Date: 02/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Ten-Year Reflections on the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Discussion of how data, evidence, guidance, and examples used in County Health Rankings & Roadmaps publications from January 2009 - January 2019 have helped communities improve the conditions in which their residents live. Examines how the methodology has changed over time, and includes a section on how the researchers adapted their methods so as to appropriately analyze data from rural areas with small populations.
Author(s): Bridget Booske Catlin, Willems Van Dijk
Date: 2020
Sponsoring organizations: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
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Challenges of Using Nationally Representative, Population-Based Surveys to Assess Rural Cancer Disparities
Examines research methods in studies of rural cancer-related health behaviors and disparities, exploring the definition of "rural" in population-based national surveys, complications for rural cancer studies, and possible solutions to improve survey accuracy. Discusses prominent data sources, including the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS), and the National Cancer Institute's Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), and examines use of these data sources in 68 published studies.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Natoshia Askelson, Robin C. Vanderpool, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 129(Supplement), 105812
Date: 12/2019
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Development, Acceptability, Appropriateness and Appeal of a Cancer Clinical Trials Implementation Intervention for Rural- and Minority-Serving Urology Practices
Describes an implementation intervention for urologists in rural and minority serving community practices to increase their participation in clinical trials supporting the development of new cancer therapies. Compares the acceptability of the intervention among a diverse group of urology practices in the South and Midwest United States.
Author(s): Shellie Ellis, Mugur Geana, Tomas Griebling, et al.
Citation: Trials, 20(1), 578
Date: 10/2019
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Translational Science: Research with Results that Touch Rural Populations
Provides an overview of translational science and the role of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS). Discusses how NCATS is working to ensure rural communities benefit from translated science. Features a New York telehealth program addressing Parkinson Disease that is helping rural patients.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Science: Involving Rural America in Research
Features translational science teams in Arkansas, Florida, and Washington that are helping ensure new scientific findings are being used in rural communities to help patients. Discusses community engagement, the role of the electronic health record in data sharing, and collaboration with cooperative extension.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Resources for Rural Community Health Needs Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans
Provides basic information for rural health stakeholders interested in improving population health and health equity in rural communities through a community health improvement process (CHIP). Clarifies the differences between a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) and a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), both components of the community health improvement process. Includes links to more in-depth information.
Date: 08/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Dissemination of Rural Health Research: A Toolkit
Offers health services researchers a variety of approaches and products to help communicate research findings to their target audience. Provides general guidelines, as well as advice related to specific product types, such as fact sheets and policy briefs, and to particular methods of communication, including social media.
Date: 08/2019
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Selection Biases in Technology-based Intervention Research: Patients' Technology Use Relates to Both Demographic and Health-related Inequities
Details a study on selection bias in health research, specifically the patient characteristics of people with implantable cardioverter defibrillators who were not included in an intervention on the basis of their inability to access the internet or a computer. Looks at patient demographics, such as age, race, education, and rural status, among other measures.
Author(s): Tammy Toscos, Michelle Drouin, Jessica Pater, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 26(8-9), 835–839
Date: 08/2019
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Planning, Conducting and Leveraging Primary Care Office Needs Assessments
Issue brief highlighting components unique to primary care offices (PCOs) and offering resources on promising practices. Intended to build knowledge regarding PCO needs assessment.
Citation: NOSORH Issue Brief, 1(3)
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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