Our research team has identified topical areas warranting further investigation to inform federal and state health policy makers, health insurers, health system managers, and providers about how to more effectively organize, finance, and deliver care in highly impoverished/underserved and other rural areas across America.
Current Projects
Review of Current Research on Rural/Urban Differences in Social Determinants of Health
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayPresentations:
Social determinants of health are social, economic, and community variables that influence health outcomes. This project will synthesize the extant literature on rural/urban differences in the social determinants of health, culminating in a comprehensive report that includes a summary of information gaps and further research needs.
Principal Investigator
Katie Youngen, MPH, Research Program Manager
Rural Access to Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) Clinics and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC)
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayThis project will identify all Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and Opioid Treatment Program Clinics in the U.S. and then present the number of rural and urban clinics in each state as frequency tables and map visualizations.
Principal Investigator
Jeffery Talbert, PhD, Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, and Director of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy in the UK College of Pharmacy
Rural/Urban Variations in Cancer Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayUsing the National Cancer Institute Health Information National Trends Survey, we will examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the receipt of recommended screenings for common cancers. Findings will inform policy makers about potential widening of rural/urban disparities in the receipt of cancer preventive services and the potential need to target these services toward rural residents.
Principal Investigator
Tyrone F. Borders, PhD, Professor, College of Nursing
Work Settings, Education, and Intent to Leave Practice among Rural vs. Urban Nurses
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayUsing data from the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey, this project will describe rural/urban differences in nurses’ work settings, levels of education and licensure, demographic characteristics, income, and intention to retire or leave practice. Study findings could be applied to implement policies aimed at increasing nursing school output and attracting nurses to practice in rural areas.
Principal Investigator
Tyrone F. Borders, PhD, Professor, College of Nursing
Rural and Urban Cancer Survivors’ Follow-Up Care Experiences
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayPresentations:
After completing treatment, cancer survivors require follow-up services for surveillance of cancer recurrence, detection of new cancers, continued care management, and the monitoring of late or long-term treatment side effects. This project will examine rural vs. urban differences in cancer survivors’ follow-up care experiences by conducting analyses of the 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), which included a cancer survivors module. Specific aims of this study are:
1. To provide nationally representative estimates and compare/contrast the prevalence of rural and urban cancer survivors’ follow-up care experiences.
2. To understand how having a regular PCP is associated with cancer survivors’ follow- up care experiences and if this association is stronger among rural than urban cancer survivors.
3. To determine if racial/ethnic differences in cancer survivors’ follow-up care experiences vary by rural/urban residence.
Principal Investigator
Tyrone F. Borders, PhD, Professor, College of Nursing
Rural/Urban and Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Patient-Reported Health Care Access and Quality among Medicare Beneficiaries with Lung or Colorectal Cancer
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayIncidence and mortality for colorectal and lung cancer are higher in rural versus urban residents, but many rural cancer patients lack accessible, high-quality care. This study will 1) Identify rural/urban inequities in Medicare cancer patient-reported health care access and quality and 2) Determine if rural racial/ethnic minority patients have worse health care access and quality than rural White patients.
Principal Investigator
Tyrone F. Borders, PhD, Professor, College of Nursing
Disparities in Screening, Prevention, and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Rural and Urban Primary Care
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayThis study will use a large national primary care registry to compare cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening, prevention, and management quality measures between rural and urban primary care practices. It will also assess for disparities by patient composition (race/ethnicity, insurance) of the practice.
Principal Investigator
Lars E. Peterson, MD, PhD, Vice President at American Board of Family Medicine
Third Party Negotiated Pricing in Rural and Urban Hospitals
Project Link: Rural Health Research GatewayPresentations:
We will use third party negotiated pricing information to compare prices in urban and rural hospitals, across a variety of common services. Because there has been poor compliance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirement to publish third party negotiated pricing, we will also examine if the availability of this information differs for rural and urban hospitals.
Principal Investigator
Lindsey Hammerslag, PhD
Co-Investigator
Jeffery Talbert, PhD, Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, and Director of the Institute for Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy in the UK College of Pharmacy