Abstract Search Find and explore abstracts from the RSS Annual Meeting

Community, Health, and Family

Building Rural Brain Health Equity through Community-Based Participatory Research Stephanie Teixeira-Poit*, Stephanie Teixeira-Poit, Josh Fergen, Cassandra Germain, Shuang Li, Melissa Blind, Kristen Jacklin,

Background. Brain health in the U.S. is uneven between rural and urban communities, creating a critical public health challenge that requires innovative, community-centered solutions. As rural hospital closures continue and federal healthcare spending faces reductions, the timing is crucial for sustainable community-based solutions. University of Minnesota and North Carolina A&T State University both employ community-based participatory research (CBPR) methodologies to address critical needs within rural contexts. This project explores cross-regional learning and methodology sharing to develop more effective, culturally appropriate approaches to rural brain health outreach and research.

Methods. We conducted cross-institutional site visits including facilities tours, meetings with academic and community partners, exploration of community engagement models/programs, student engagement in capacity building efforts for cross-institution collaboration and CBPR, and iterative ideation sessions for resource, toolkit, and model development. The goal is to create a toolkit of resources and research model for cross-regional learning, methodology sharing, and engagement in CBPR on brain health.

Results. The toolkit of resources and research model focus on community engagement best practices that ensure authentic partnership and shared decision-making; CBPR methodologies adapted for brain health and dementia research with underrepresented rural populations; culturally appropriate outreach; and recruitment, retention, and intervention strategies tailored to diverse rural contexts.

Conclusion. This collaboration identifies best practices for culturally competent and community-centered research and engagement when working with underserved rural communities on brain health, creates scalable methodologies, and develops recruitment and retention strategies as well as interventions for brain health research that can be tailored across diverse rural contexts.