Rural Health Core Research: Real Input, Real Impact

5 days ago | Jasmine Souers | @jasminesouers

The Mayo Clinic’s Rural Health Research Core at the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCaTS) continues to expand its network of rural health researchers and community partners. Driven by collaboration through the Midwest Rural Health Research Community Advisory Board (CAB), outreach initiatives, and strategic collaborations, the team is dedicated to identifying key health issues and finding innovative ways to improve healthcare access and delivery in rural communities.

Community engagement can shape research in powerful ways. A recently published paper highlighted the findings from gathering input from a Community Advisory Board for researchers working on health challenges in rural, non-metro areas. To expand the impact of those findings, the authors looked for new ways to share the information.

With input from members of the Midwest Rural Health Research Community Advisory Board, an infographic was created to highlight when and why a researcher would incorporate community perspective into the research. An infographic was chosen to complement the article because an infographic is a visual representation of information, designed to make complex ideas easier to understand at a glance. It blends text, images, icons, charts, and color to communicate a message quickly and clearly. And the visually appealing layout helps people remember information and act on it.

When a researcher is studying a topic that is important to a community, knowing when and why to incorporate community voices through a Community Advisory Board or other means will strengthen the study and lead to more meaningful outcomes.

Upcoming Events and Activities

WomenWise Symposium

Wednesday, April 29, 5:00 – 8:00 pm

Mayowood Stone Barn, Rochester, MN

Funded by The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and Mayo Clinic Research, The WomenWise project focuses on education and research awareness related to alcohol misuse among women. The event will feature key findings and future plans. The event is free of charge and dinner is provided.

SAVE THE DATE: 5th Annual C2DREAM Conference

May 28-30, 2026

Twin Cities, MN

This year’s conference will build on C2DREAM’s mission to improve hearth health and reduce chronic disease disparities across Minnesota.

Check website for registration details.