The University of Iowa College of Public Health is proud to recognize the innovation, quality of care, and dedication of health professionals and volunteers in our community during National Rural Health Day 2018. National Rural Health Day falls on the third Thursday in November each year and recognizes the efforts of those serving the health needs of over 60 million people across the nation.

Faculty, staff, and students in the college engage in research and service that helps improve the health and well-being of rural residents. Here’s a sample of some recent projects.

Telling the Story Project

The Telling the Story Project shares the stories of farmers, agricultural workers, and family and community members who’ve been impacted by injuries, fatalities, or close calls. The initiative was developed in part by the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health located in the University of Iowa College of Public Health. “Our goal is to use farmers” words, insight, and advice in a way that makes safety messages more credible with other farmers who understand their own way of life,” says Stephanie Leonard, occupational safety manager in the Great Plains Center. “Farmers talking to farmers is the groundwork for any kind of effort to improve farm safety.” Read the stories

Rural Health Values Project

Dramatic changes are underway in health care delivery and finance. The changing landscape creates new opportunities to design and strengthen local systems of care in rural America. The Rural Health Values Project, funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, uses the extensive analytic and technical assistance capacity of the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis and Stratis Health to understand how new health care delivery and financing systems affect rural communities and providers. The project will help rural providers transition to new approaches that support success in a rapidly changing environment. Learn more about the project.

HPV Vaccination

The HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine protects against a number of diseases and HPV-related cancers such as cervical cancer and oral cancer, but vaccination rates across Iowa are below the national average. University of Iowa investigators are beginning a yearlong study to better understand why HPV vaccine coverage in rural areas of the state lags behind other adolescent immunizations. The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute through the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, will be led by a team from Holden. Natoshia Askelson, assistant professor of community and behavioral health in the UI College of Public Health, is the project director. Other partners include the Iowa Primary Care Association, Iowa Department of Public Health, American Cancer Society, Iowa Cancer Consortium, and local public health agencies. Read more about the study 

A new video from the University of Iowa’s Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (CPCRN) highlights community-based participatory research approaches that began in 2014 to increase human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in the east central Iowa community of West Liberty.

Farm Equipment Vibration and Back Pain Research

During harvest season, it’s common for farmers to work 10 to 14 hours a day. Long hours sitting on agricultural equipment can take a physical toll on the body and lead to back pain. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Iowa College of Public Health examined whole-body vibration exposures during the operation of several types of agricultural machinery. Whole-body vibration is defined as mechanical vibrations that are transmitted to the human body through a contact surface, such as a seat.