Three UNMC investigators received competitive teaching and research grants through the Rural Futures Institute (RFI) at the University of Nebraska (NU).
The 2017 grants engage faculty and students from across the four NU campuses as well as Kansas University, Purdue University, Peru State College and Wayne State College. At least 32 Nebraska communities, non-profit and business partners will be involved, and nearly all projects will include participation from K-12 students across the state.
See all projects
Extended project descriptions and lists of all current contributors and partners are available here.
“For America to thrive, our rural residents must thrive. The challenges and opportunities facing rural communities in Nebraska and across the country require action-oriented collaboration and commitment,” said RFI Founding Executive Director Chuck Schroeder.
The grants continue RFI’s successful Competitive Awards Program, which has funded 50 teaching and research projects in more than 100 Nebraska communities. The projects address unique challenges and opportunities facing rural populations.
The funded projects for UNMC investigators include:
Ending Mental Health Stigma & Promoting Mental Health Among Rural Nebraska College and University Students
Principal investigator: Sonja Russell, UNMC, Rural Health Education Network
The growing shortage of mental health professionals in rural areas, alongside the rising number of rural college and university students who experience mental health difficulties, calls for a comprehensive public health approach to addressing underlying causes of mental illness and related stigma. In collaboration with faculty and students at Wayne State College, the team seeks to develop and implement a promising mental health promotion curriculum aimed at addressing stigma and alleviating mental health difficulties among college and university students in Nebraska.
Rural Narratives on Welcoming Communities
Principal investigator: Athena Ramos, UNMC College of Public Health, Center for Reducing Health Disparities
The team will use appreciative inquiry to interview community leaders about creating welcoming communities and work with partners to develop powerful narratives, provide access to resources and disseminate best practices.
Assessment of and Treatment Applied to Food Addiction to Encourage Self-Management of Obesity
Principal investigator: Trina Aguirre, Ph.D., UNMC College of Nursing
The research team will evaluate the efficacy of using nurse practitioners to deliver interventions to patients referred to an outpatient clinic for the treatment of obesity. The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of four interventions in obese rural patients with and without food addiction to develop effective, better-targeted interventions to help obese rural residents successfully self-manage their obesity, enabling them to live healthier lives and reduce the high cost of treating the comorbidities associated with obesity.