Addressing complex health issues challenging the small rural communities in Central New York.

Bassett’s Center for Rural Community Health addresses complex health issues challenging the small rural communities of Bassett’s eight county region. This region includes some of Appalachia’s northern-most counties. These and their neighboring counties contain many rural communities afflicted with similar demographic, economic, and infrastructure challenges and having disproportionate numbers of citizens who are aged, impoverished, isolated, obese, and otherwise challenged.

The BCRCH conducts rural risk research, works with community partners to implement policies and programs, provides technical assistance, and participates in advocacy for and dissemination of best practices.

Our Programs & Studies

The Center for Rural Community Health currently includes RHENSOM, Living Well, Telehealth Research, Rural Culture and Self-Management Behavior, and School-Based Health Center Research, among other new projects in development.

Rural IMPACT stands for Rural Innovative Multi-sectoral Preventive Approaches Community Trial for Population Health Improvement. This community-based study, funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research, will explore how the way in which communities coordinate themselves to make decisions about the provision and production of diabetes prevention services can impact the delivery of such services and subsequently population health outcomes.

The mission of the Rural Health Education Network of Schoharie, Otsego, and Montgomery Counties (RHENSOM) is to improve the health of rural communities through collaborative innovation, by implementing and facilitating evidence-based programming and best practices.

In 2016, Bassett Medical Center received a three-year Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement (QI) grant funded by the US Health and Human Services Administration to utilize the evidence- based Diabetes Self-Management Program (DSMP) and Chronic Disease Self-Management Program…

Defining the Digital Divide: Implications for Improving Access to Care

Telehealth use increased dramatically with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, telehealth’s applicability may be limited for certain vulnerable populations, including those in rural, medically underserved communities. BRI researchers conducted a mixed methods study to learn more about factors associated with telehealth use and how they impact access to care.

The Rural Profile and Health Behaviors

How does “being rural” affect health-seeking behaviors? The geographic and socioeconomic barriers have been well recognized in the literature. However the role of rural culture (e.g. self-reliance, close community relationships) has not been well explored. This study used a novel instrument to measure the rural profile and health seeking-behaviors. Diabetes management was used as the outcome of interest.