SSRI Working Group on Social Science Research on Rural Population Health

SSRI Working Group on Social Science Research on Rural Population Health

Project Team
Danielle Rhubart, Assistant Professor, Biobehavioral Health and Demography

Project Funding
SSRI Level 1 - Working Group

Project Description

Rural America is home to higher rates of chronic conditions, poor self-rated health, and premature mortality. This spatial disparity has been linked to not only differences in access to health care, but also broader social and structural factors. Many questions remain unanswered that require attention from interdisciplinary teams of social science researchers who study the multilevel upstream factors that shape health. Penn State is perfectly positioned to be a vanguard of social science research on rural population health in the U.S. However, infrastructure is required to be able to fully support such efforts. Establishing a working group that facilitates and bolsters rural health research among the social sciences at Penn State is needed to coordinate the expertise of social science faculty who study the structural and social determinants of rural population health and ultimately support an extramurally funded Center for Rural Population Health at Penn State. The resulting infrastructure will provide the foundation for Penn State to serve as a hub for rural health research in the U.S.