The Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Cohort Study is a longitudinal research project in select rural counties in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Mississippi. We seek to enroll approximately 4,600 participants from these communities, examining several different aspects of their health, including heart and lung function.
Broad goals of the RURAL Cohort Study include:
- Identifying the frequency of and risk factors for heart and lung diseases in the RURAL communities
- Identifying unique factors contributing to health disorders in these communities — including psychosocial, economic, and familial factors — and how they interact together
- Identifying potential solutions by examining differences between higher and lower risk rural counties
We will collaborate with other scientists and maximize the use of the data collected, while also ensuring our participants’ data is secure. We have rigorous policies and systems in place to ensure all participants’ data meets federal security and confidentiality standards for data acquisition, transfer, storage, and analysis.
RURAL Cohort Study News
NHLBI Announces Plan to Fund a Second Examination Cycle for the Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Heart and Lung Study
November 2024
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) plans to fund a second examination of participants in the RURAL Heart and Lung Study. The examination is expected to begin approximately January-February 2027 with a targeted sample size for examination of approximately 4,000 participants.
Kentucky Core PI Interview on WYMT-TV in Hazard, Kentucky
November 2024
WYMT’s Steve Hensley interviewed Dr. Stephanie Boone, the Kentucky Core State PI, about the Rural Heart and Lung Study and why it’s being done with in Perry and Breathitt Counties on the Issues and Answers program.