A group of 20 rural mental health researchers and policymakers from universities, professional associations, and government had been invited to the meeting. Stormy weather around the country and the beginning of flu season reduced the group to fifteen. There are a number of reasons for this. Academic research centers are usually located in urban areas. Rural-focused studies often have small sample sizes.
Young investigators pursuing rural studies run the risk of marginalizing themselves professionally.
Dr. Norquist made clear that money was not the issue. NIMH could spend even more money on rural studies, but the rub is getting these proposals through the review process. The challenge for NIMH and for the rural community is to foster the development of research that meets the scientific demands and culture of NIMH and is also relevant to understanding and improving rural mental health care. Following these opening remarks, Kathryn Rost presented a paper reviewing the rural mental health literature that she and her colleagues prepared for this meeting. The paper was organized around the determinants of the use, quality and outcomes of care for mental health.