Exploring challenges to care access in rural Texas communities : Translational Health Research Center : Texas State University

Sponsor:

THRC's Community Health and Economic Resilience Research (CHERR) Center of Excellence

Investigators:

Dr. Elizabeth Ekren (PI: TLL Temple Foundation grant), Dr. Shadi Maleki, Dr. Melinda Villagran and Lauren Lee

Research Pillar(s):

An icon of a road with a leaf cluster as the middle pavement marking.

A briefcase icon with a Red Cross symbol, meant to represent the STEM and Healthcare Workforce priority.

A head icon with a heart in place of a brain, meant to represent the Personal Health and Wellbeing pillar.

An icon of an medical monitor showing heart beat activity, meant to represent the Digital Healthcare Transformation pillar.

An ambulance moving at high speed with the siren on, meant to represent the Emergency Preparedness pillar.

Problem

This project aims to understand how individuals in rural Texas manage health issues, particularly in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) and counties without hospitals.

These include limited access to medical providers, language and education gaps, and challenges like food and housing insecurity. Together, these factors make it harder for individuals to seek preventive services, emergency care, or specialized treatment, leading to poorer health outcomes.

Solution

This project seeks to identify and better understand these barriers and how they influence health behaviors. By uncovering these insights, the research can help inform strategies to improve access to care, strengthen support systems, and design more effective, community-centered health services for rural populations.