Abstract
Background/Aims Compared to their urban counterparts, rural residents have persistent health disparities and remain medically underserved. However as shown last year by the Rural Health SIG, many diseases and health conditions strongly impact rural and urban dwellers (Copeland et al, HMORN 2013 PS3-47). To put this in perspective, we describe the member populations and highlight the research specialties from four of seven Rural Health-SIG sites with a substantial number of members living in rural areas.
Methods We identified member population sizes, areas of scientific emphasis, and research resources for Essentia Institute of Rural Health (EIRH), Geisinger Center for Health Research (GCHR), Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation (MCRF), and Scott & White Center for Applied Health Research (SWR). Sources were VDW documentation, HMO Research Network Members-Areas of Scientific Emphasis Based on Self-Report (2011/2012), and publicly available websites for each of the sites.
Results Currently, there are over 1 million members in 2012 VDW enrollment (EIRH: 565,603; GCHR: 310,834; MCRF: 195,182; SWR: 94,351) of which at least half live in rural areas and at least 30% receive government funded health insurance assistance (Medicare, Medicaid, or state subsidies). Collectively, we have ongoing research activity in all areas of HMORN scientific interest. Areas of significant emphasis (multiple projects per year) for at least two sites include: obesity, active living, healthy eating; dissemination science and translation of research into practice; patient decision-making and health literacy; quality improvement and health care delivery; genetics, genomics, bio-repositories; health informatics; heart/vascular, lung and blood diseases; neurological disorders; and aging. Moreover, all four sites reported significant emphasis in community engagement and community-based participatory research. In comparison to the 11 other, primarily urban HMORN member sites, eight reported some emphasis in this area and none reported significant emphasis. Patient-reported outcome capability is also rapidly developing at Rural Health SIG sites in response to deployment of electronic medical record systems and the quest to achieve Accountable Care Organization status.
Conclusions Rural Health SIG Investigators have broad expertise in many areas of scientific interest within the HMORN that apply to improving the health of rural and urban residents. We welcome invitations to collaborate.
