Lead Investigators:
Researchers from multiple institutions including the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Berkeley University of California, Boston University, The Lundquist Institute, University of Vermont, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, University of Louisville, University of Pittsburgh, Weill Cornell Medicine, Georgetown University, Indiana University, University of Texas Medical Branch, University of Minnesota, University of New Mexico, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
Status Quo:
People living in rural areas of the Southern U.S. face higher rates of heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders, but there isn’t enough data to explain why. Risk factors like genetics, environment, lifestyle, and access to care may all play a role. Many health studies focus on cities, leaving a gap in knowledge about rural populations.
What We Study:
The RURAL study looks at how heart, lung, blood, and sleep conditions develop in adults aged 25–64 living in the rural South. It tracks physical health, medical history, genetics, and lifestyle over time to better understand what puts people at risk. Participants complete a detailed health check-up in a mobile clinic, wear a Fitbit to track activity and sleep, answer surveys through a phone app, and may provide blood, urine, and saliva samples for testing.
How We Innovate:
The study brings care directly to rural communities using a Mobile Examination Unit (MEU) — a clinic on wheels. The MEU features medical tools like a CT scanner, ECG machine, ECHO machine, and pulmonary function equipment. Participants don’t need to travel far. The study also uses remote tools:
- Fitbit: to track daily activity, sleep, and heart rate.
- MyDataHelps App: to complete surveys and log symptoms.
- At-Home Follow-Up: through phone calls and yearly interviews.
- Genetic Testing: optional testing to study how genes may affect disease risk