University Letter

UND's faculty and staff newsletter

Rural Health Research Gateway receives federal funding

Rural Health Research Gateway, an online library of rural research, recently received funding of $135,000, from the Health Resources & Services Administration. Gateway is an online library providing access to research and findings of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)-funded Rural Health Research Centers (RHRC), from 1997-present.

The Gateway web site can be used to find abstracts for current and completed research projects; publications which include policy briefs, fact sheets, chartbooks, and journal articles; and information about the rural research centers. Gateway is housed at the Center for Rural Health within the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks.

“There are nearly a hundred rural health research products produced by FORHP-funded research centers each year,” said Dr. Shawnda Schroeder, principal investigator for Gateway, “and Gateway is funded with the sole purpose of ensuring that these products are accessed by those in the community who can use the results to make positive change for the health of rural people.”

In the last year, more than 90 new rural health research products were added to the website, with nearly 60,000 site visitors. Gateway sent out 61 new alerts to subscribers, which is an email letting people know when publications become available. The top three topics searched include substance use and treatment; healthcare access; and mental and behavioral health.

FORHP currently funds RHRCs and Rural Health Policy Analysis Initiatives located throughout the nation.

Each year, specific research projects for the RHRCs are selected jointly by the RHRC directors and FORHP. Topics are selected to have a timely impact on policy debates and decisions at both federal and state levels. To learn more about Gateway and the work of RHRCs, visit Rural Health Research Gateway.

About the Center for Rural Health

Established in 1980 at the University of North Dakota, the Center for Rural Health is one of the nation’s most experienced rural health organizations. It has developed a full complement of programs to assist researchers, educators, policymakers, healthcare providers, and most important, rural residents to address changing rural environments by identifying and researching rural health issues, analyzing health policy, strengthening local capabilities, developing community-based alternatives, and advocating for rural concerns. For more information, visit RuralHealth.und.edu.