Rural Health Equity Research Center
The East Tennessee State University (ETSU)/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center is committed to advancing rural health equity, with a primary focus on access to health care and behavioral health services in rural communities. The ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center also maintains a focus on a broad set of related health policy topics that include rural payment and delivery models, access to and utilization of health services, rural hospital bypass, rural public health, leading causes of death, adverse childhood experiences, social determinants of health, and substance use disorder, among others. The ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center is a partnership between ETSU's Center for Rural Health Research and NORC's Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis.
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About the Research Center
The ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center's mission is to conduct robust rural health services research that informs strategies and recommendations for policy makers, rural health care providers, and rural communities to improve health and well-being by improving access to health care and behavioral health services and advancing health equity.
Research staff contribute to policy solutions that are responsive to challenges rural communities face in accessing health care and behavioral health services, including workforce shortages, lack of transportation and broadband access, long wait times for appointments, payment and reimbursement challenges, limited specialty services, under-resourced public health infrastructure, and limited rural-focused research to understand rural population health needs. Underpinning all the center's work is the recognition of strengths and assets within rural communities, and strategies focused on leveraging community strengths to address rural health challenges. The ETSU/NORC Rural Health Equity Research Center builds on a history of successful collaboration between the ETSU Center for Rural Health Research and the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis. This partnership bridges NORC's long history of rural health research and evaluation and ETSU's commitment to honor its rural heritage through research, education, and service.