ETSU Center for Rural Health and Research releases annual report
The ETSU Center for Rural Health and Research welcomed three new faculty
and four new staff members over the past year, and co-authored 34 publications.
East Tennessee State University’s Center for Rural Health and Research’s fourth annual report highlights the center’s continued growth, including securing more than $1.6 million in grant funding for seven new research initiatives.
Over the past year, CRHR welcomed three new faculty and four new staff members, engaged with five new funders, co-authored 34 publications and presented at well over 100 conferences across the nation.
“This past year has been another outstanding year of growth and visibility for our center,” said Michael Meit, director of the Center for Rural Health and Research. “I could not be prouder of the team that we have developed – their passion, commitment and expertise shine through in all that we do. They bring well-deserved recognition to ETSU, our College of Public Health and our region.”
CRHR serves Tennessee, Appalachia and the nation through research and evaluation projects designed to improve the health and well-being of the people. Central Appalachia – primarily the 21 counties in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia – remains the core focus of the center’s work, highlighted by an enduring partnership with Ballad Health.
Over the past year, Ballad Health and CRHR began enrolling participants in the StrongLINK program. Through StrongLINK, expectant mothers who give birth at Ballad Health facilities are asked to participate in periodic surveys about their health and their children’s health. Survey information will be collected over 18 years and create a longitudinal data repository measuring the medical, social and educational outcomes of participating families.
Other projects highlighted in the report include the evaluation of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s health grant program. The findings of this project will lead to recommendations for ARC and local stakeholders to strengthen the implementation and impact of health projects across the Appalachian region.
This year, the Center for Rural Health and Research and ARC also launched a unique effort to address health care workforce challenges, foster economic development and promote regional prosperity in Central Appalachia.
Dubbed the Regional Public Colleges and Universities (RPCU) Central Appalachia Health Consortium, this ground-breaking initiative is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Appalachia Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies.
The consortium will explore a variety of strategies for working together and impacting health and economic outcomes in central Appalachia. These include articulation agreements, local pipeline development, cross-institution internships, in-state tuition arrangements, elective options, streamlined applications and preferred admissions.
Other key projects from the CRHR included partnering with NORC and the University of Minnesota to work with the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to create recommendations and considerations for rural and frontier local health departments to improve public health emergency preparedness.
The center is also working with TennCare and the Center for Health Care Strategies to help develop the Tennessee Multi-Sector Plan for Aging. As part of this project, CRHR created an online dashboard with comprehensive data related to various aspects of aging, such as demographics, health and well-being, economic security, social engagement and community support.
To view the full report, visit https://bit.ly/4ec5yBn.
East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.
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