Research Participation Through a Rural Lens: Facilitating Equitable Inclusion of Rural Voices
Overview
This UBC-led study is exploring how rural residents experience participation in health services and clinical research. While health research should reflect the diversity of the population, people living in rural communities are often under-represented due to barriers such as travel distance, limited local resources, connectivity challenges, work commitments, and privacy concerns.
Through this project, researchers hope to better understand the experiences of rural residents who have participated in research, as well as those who have been unable to participate because of their geographic location. Findings will help inform strategies to improve access to research opportunities and ensure that health research is more relevant, equitable, and inclusive for rural communities across British Columbia.
This study is led by the Centre for Rural Health Research in collaboration with Northern Health, the BC SUPPORT Unit, and Michael Smith Health Research BC.
To learn more, visit: https://crhr.med.ubc.ca/current-projects/rural-research-inclusion/
Eligibility
You may be eligible to participate if you:
- Are a resident of a rural community in British Columbia.
- Have participated in a clinical research study or health services research project as a rural resident; or
- Have wanted to participate in health research but were unable to because of barriers related to your geographic location.
Participants will be asked to complete an online survey about their experiences, challenges, and recommendations for improving rural participation in health research.
