Current Projects
Rural Healthy People 2030: Challenges and Opportunities for the New Decade
This project builds on past work from Rural Healthy People 2010 and Rural Healthy People 2020 as well as new data from Rural Healthy People 2030, to analyze variations in top-ranked Healthy People objectives for rural America over time as determined by rural stakeholders. In addition to exploring changes in the most important priorities for rural America over time, this project identifies the unique challenges that rural America faces in achieving Healthy People 2030 objectives.
Updating and Exploring the Burden of Potentially Avoidable Emergency Department Visits in Rural U.S. Communities
Alva O. Ferdinand, DrPH, JD
aferdinand@tamu.edu
Marvellous A. Akinlotan, PhD, MPH
marvie@tamu.edu
This project will summarize the literature outlining the evidence on the disproportionate burden of pediatric ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC)-related hospital-based care along the urban-rural continuum to date. Additionally, it will examine trends in ACSC-related ED visits longitudinally by urban/rural residence using the State Emergency Department Databases.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities Shouldered by Rural Americans: Evidence from the Peer-Reviewed and Grey Literature On the Five Leading Causes of Death
This project will identify and summarize the literature on the 5 leading causes of death particularly as they relate to racial and ethnic disparities along the urban-rural continuum. The evidence produced on this topic will support legislative policies that address social determinants and provide mechanisms by which rural Americans can achieve optimal health.
An Innovative Approach to Targeting Rural Communities in Public Health Funding
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) launched a new initiative to address COVID-19 related health disparities and to advance health equity among underserved and at-risk populations. The initiative included state grant funding to address the needs of rural communities. This project will provide critical insight into the evolving relationship between the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) and the CDC over time, lessons learned from this grant program, and how those lessons might be applied to future efforts to carve out rural-focused funds from broader grant projects.
Federal Agencies' Recent Collaboration and Innovation in Rural Cancer Control: A Model for Practice
The investigators will conduct an examination of the multi-year effort by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to focus on rural cancer issues and its collaboration with the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. This project will provide critical insight into how information and conversations about disparities in cancer incidence, care and mortality across federal agencies informed the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) decision to support a targeted pitch for rural cancer control support through the NCI. The project will also examine the way in which NCI’s funding mechanism and deliverables were structured and disseminated, and thoughts on how these efforts will be sustained.
Previous Projects
Trends and Predictors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Light of the Opioid Crisis Along the Urban-Rural Continuum
The investigators will explore trends in the burden of HIV and the predictors of HIV-related mortality and morbidity, particularly considering geographic regions, residence along the urban-rural continuum, and recent trends in opioid use disorder (OUD). The project will provide a contemporary and comprehensive examination of how the opioid crisis has changed the nature of the burden of HIV, especially considering differential disease burdens between residents of rural areas relative to their urban counterparts.
Predictors and Barriers to Achieving Immunization in Rural and Urban Areas
Prenatal and timely childhood immunizations offer the optimal strategy for preventing severe morbidity and mortality due to vaccine- preventable disease. We aim to evaluate possible gaps in immunization services for pregnant women and their infants in rural areas as compared to urban areas.
Variations in Travel Burdens Associated with Access to Care Between Rural and Urban Residents
The purpose of this project is to conduct an examination of urban versus rural disparities in travel to care patterns in the United States. Our project focuses on geographic access to medical and dental care, recognizing that burdensome travel times and distances can hinder individuals from obtaining necessary care. The study will explore the travel times and distances to care for specific sub-populations and in specific geographic settings, particularly considering urban versus rural residence and region.
Trends in Preterm Birth by Rural Status in the U.S.
This project will determine rates of preterm birth by rural versus urban residence and across census regions. The project will also examine the relationship between preterm birth and maternal characteristics, including race and ethnicity as well as pregnancy complications, among women who live in counties with different levels of rural versus urban residence.
Texas C-Step: CPRIT Funded Cancer Prevention
Principal Investigator for Colorectal Cancer Grant
Jason McKnight, MD
Principal Investigator for Breast and Cervical Cancer Grant
Anna Lichorad, MD
Co-Principal Investigator
Jane Bolin, BSN, JD, PhD
The Texas Cancer Screening, Training, Education and Prevention Program, or Texas C-STEP, is conducted through the Texas A&M Physicians Family Medicine Center. Texas C-STEP provides critical safety-net services, such as cancer screenings and certain advanced diagnostics, to uninsured, underserved and low-income Texans through funding from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas. The 17 counties served by Texas C-STEP are primarily rural counties.
The diabetes education kiosk (aka DIOSK) was developed by the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health as a self-management tool to provide diabetes education to persons with diabetes, caregivers, or those persons at risk for diabetes. Using touch-screen interactive technology, the DIOSK now consists of web-based modules on diabetes, asthma, and infectious diseases that can be viewed from any tablet, cell phone or computer. Dissemination of the DIOSK is currently funded through Healthy South Texas.
Rural Versus Urban Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence
Maria Perez-Patron, PhD, MHS
maria.perez@tamu.edu
Intimate partner violence (IPV) includes physical violence, sexual violence, stalking, psychological aggression, and reproductive control by a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend, domestic partner, or spouse. This project will determine rural-urban disparities in the prevalence of intimate partner violence-related hospitalizations using a national representative sample of hospital admissions for the period between 2009-2014.
Community Health Worker Roles, Regulation, and Growth in Rural America
This project examines the role of Community Health Workers (CHWs) and Promotores in improving access to health care services in rural and urban environments. This project focuses on the growing and changing roles of these influential actors and how their responsibilities vary based on setting (hospital, clinic, community, etc.), location (rural vs. urban), and regulations. Proposed topics to be examined are (1) understanding the role that CHWs believe they play in health access, (2) studying how this role varies based on rurality and setting, (3) analyzing the different regulatory frameworks that states employ regarding CHWs and their activities, and (4) investigating the relationship between these regulatory frameworks and the number of CHWs across rural and urban environments in different states.
Disaster Planning, Preparedness, & Response for Rural Long-Term Care Providers
This project will collect data that captures how disasters affect long- term care services and patient experiences in rural areas. We will: (1) develop and pilot test a long-term care provider survey regarding emergency preparedness and response, and (2) conduct detailed case studies of disaster-impacted, rural communicates with respect to implications for long-term care services planning, recovery, and resilience.
Midterm Examination of Healthy People 2020: How Well Are We Doing Meeting Mortality Objectives
Jane Bolin, BSN, JD, PhD
janebolin@tamu.edu
Rural Americans have historically faced significant challenges in accessing healthcare and preventive healthcare services, including ambulatory care, dental care, emergency services, and pharmaceutical services. This Year-3 study is national in scope and will examine rural versus urban differences and disparities in how the United States is meeting the Healthy People 2020 mortality objectives for the top 10 leading causes of death.
Rural/Urban Differences in Chronic Diseases and Delay of Needed Care
Jane N. Bolin, PhD, JD, BSN
janebolin@tamu.edu
This project examines rural versus urban differences, among adults in the U.S., in the prevalence, incidence, stage and severity of selected chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke and several five types of cancers. There is a particular focus on examining foregone or delayed access to preventive or needed care, and whether rural residents present later and with more advanced disease states.
Addressing Rural Health Challenges and Disparities
Jane N. Bolin, PhD, JD, BSN
janebolin@tamu.edu
Daunte' Cauley, MS
cauley@tamu.edu
Addressing Rural Health Challenges and Disparities Year 1 (PDF)
Addressing Rural Health Challenges and Disparities Year 2 (PDF)
In an effort to learn more about the distinctive health needs and priorities of rural communities in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, the Episcopal Health Foundation selected the Southwest Rural Health Research Center to conduct a series of community planning and participatory group meetings in Grimes, Madison, and Robertson Counties. The goal of this project was to facilitate and support community champions’ efforts to lead sustainable Coalitions to address identified needs of communities and to move county-specific projects towards fruition.
Malpractice Claims Among Rural and Urban Providers: Do State Telehealth Laws Make a Difference?
This project examines trends in state telehealth laws in the U.S. and whether they have affected the malpractice environments of rural and urban environments differentially. Data from the National Practitioner Data Bank are used to determine whether changes in telehealth laws are associated with increased malpractice claims and other adverse actions among rural and urban healthcare providers.
Examining the Legal Landscape in Rural America: Implications for the Healthcare Workforce, Access to Care, and Population Health
This project explores whether there are any differences between urban and rural health care providers in the prevalence of malpractice claims, clinical privilege actions, and state licensure actions. This research also explores whether variations in nurse practitioner scope of practice laws affect rural residents differentially, especially with respect to preventive care. Data used for this project include: National Practitioner Data Bank; National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample; State Emergency Department Databases; and Area Health Resources File.
Are Rural Mothers and Infants Benefiting from Changes in National Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Policy?
This study explores breastfeeding practices among rural WIC participants, and examines differences before and after a major federal policy change involving the WIC program. Data from the National Food and Nutrition Survey, conducted before and after (repeated cross-section) implementation of the WIC policy changes, are used to examine effects on breastfeeding rates, infant feeding practices, and food/beverage consumption among low-income infants and women in rural areas.
Provision of Skilled Nursing in Rural America: Skilled Nursing Facilities and Swing Beds
Swing beds and skilled nursing facilities provide critical skilled nursing services in rural areas, which are often lacking appropriate options for long term care. This study allows researchers and policy makers to understand the nature of swing bed and skilled nursing facility care provision in rural areas, and the potential benefits of swing beds to rural communities, through development of a national picture of swing beds and skilled nursing facilities in rural areas of the U.S. and comparison of swing beds and skilled nursing facilities with regard to facility, resident, and care characteristics.
The Burden of Diabetes in Rural America
This project determines rural versus urban differences in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence, and related morbidity and mortality in the U.S. This project examines rural versus urban differences and disparities in T2DM rates and associated demographics pre-and post-Affordable Care Act implementation. Analyses include controlled and uncontrolled diabetes and associated complications across rural versus urban geographic regions of the U.S. The project is national in scope and utilizes data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and selected Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project state emergency department and inpatient survey databases.