185776 Expanding the Rural Public Health Research Agenda Through Collaboration

Monday, October 27, 2008

Kara Hawthorne, MSW , Office of Rural Health, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
Ryung Suh, MD MPH MPP MBA , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Jaspal Ahluwalia, MD, MPH , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Sarah Johnson , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Richard Hartman, PhD , Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Planning, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
While access remains the central issue for most rural communities, issues such as health behavior, environmental health, infectious disease surveillance, and other public health concerns remain critical. These areas remain largely unstudies with respect to their impacts on rural health status. A focus on rural public health infrastructure, workforce competencies, health disparities, access to care, public health preparedness, and environmental health -- to include the role of the VA as a member of rural communities -- requires a broader public health research agenda. The VA's Office of Rural Health engaged the Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis to promote greater collaboration between VA policy planners and rural public health researchers. This session outlines the progression of this dialogue, specific impacts in terms of reaching across VA and non-VA borders, and strategic directions for the future in further expanding the rural public health agenda.

Learning Objectives:
Highlight a collaborative initiative between the VA's Office of Rural Health and the Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis Identify impacts that reach across VA and non-VA borders Explore strategic directions for expanding the rural public health research agenda

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I reviewed and participated in planning and research activities, to include a literature review, structured interviews, internal VA review, and environmental scan for the VA Office of Rural Health, as well as contributed to the Office of Rural Health strategic plan.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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