Resources and Research for Rural Communities

Led by Christi A. Patten, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic's Rural Health Research Core (RHRC), is dedicated to supporting underserved rural populations across Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Catch up on highlights from the 4th Annual C2DREAM Conference and explore valuable resources for rural communities.

Community, connection, learning at C2DREAM conference

The C2DREAM 4th Annual Conference, held in Saint Paul and virtually, gathered over 120 attendees to discuss strategies for improving cardiovascular health in Minnesota through community-based research partnerships. The event featured panels, breakout sessions, and highlighted the collaborative work between community and academic partners, emphasizing the impact of their combined efforts on health outcomes. Read the full recap and view the photo gallery here.

RHRC resources for researchers and community

The Rural Health Research Core offers resources for Mayo Clinic researchers and rural community members. These include the Rochester Epidemiology Project, a population health resource with information from 27 counties, the HOUSES Index, a population health tool that derives socioeconomic status based on individual housing data, and access to Community Health Needs Assessment reports from Mayo Clinic Health System sites in the Upper Midwest.

Get involved with rural health research

One in five people in the United States lives in a rural area. Rural perspectives are important to include in research by working together with people who live in the community. The Rural Health Research Core invites people with rural experience to be part of the research process to share the needs of their community. You can:
Send your questions or ideas to ruralhealthcore@mayo.edu.

You’ll receive information about Rural Health Research programs and opportunities.

• Provide input on studies as they are being designed.
• Join a team working in your community.
• Share what you learn with friends, family, and neighbors.

How to identify if you're rural

There are a number of ways to identify rurality. The Rural Health Research program typically uses the Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Codes to identify communities and individuals for research. The Am I Rural? Tool - Rural Health Information Hub is a quick way to see how your community is classified.

About Mayo Clinic's Rural Health Research Core

Led by Christi A. Patten, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic's Rural Health Research Core (RHRC) is committed to
promoting healthcare access and delivery in underserved rural populations. RHRC has a core faculty, a group of collaborators, and a Midwest Rural Health Research Community Advisory Board. All of these people contribute to the review and refinement of research that is deployed in rural communities in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.