Understanding the Intersection of Health and Technology in Rural Northeast CO: Exploring Gaps, Barriers and Opportunities for Digital Health Interventions
College of Health and Human Sciences
Human Development and Family Studies
Logan
County
- Health & Wellbeing
- Equal time spent on-campus and in the field
Primary Topic:
Health & Wellbeing
Other Topics:
DEI
Internship Overview:
Logan County sits on the Eastern Plains of Colorado, with a population of roughly 20,000 residents and a median household income of $54,864 (US Census Bureau). Being a rural county, access to technology and internet can be limited in certain areas, especially when coupled with cultural barriers or geographic isolation. Through a series of listening sessions and focus groups at the Northeast Regional Engagement Center, improved health has been identified as an area of need. Better understanding how technology can play a role in this community-identified need will help advance CSU initiatives. This endeavor is also strongly aligned with OEE’s commitment to “Health & Well-Being”, as well as the Rural Initiative’s priority focus on “Improved Health.” Unfortunately, our understanding of rural communities’ experiences with access and barriers to technology, their perceptions and beliefs surrounding digital health, and their perspectives on how technology may be used to bridge gaps in healthcare access is limited.
To address this gap, the intern will work closely with community members to 1) better understand health and wellness among youth and families living in rural areas, including members of the Hispanic community, and 2) generate new knowledge surrounding technology access/usage and beliefs about its potential role in promoting health. The internship location is flexible but will require field trips to Logan County if based on-campus. The intern must be conversant in Spanish and English given the number of Spanish-speaking community members in Logan County. Experience with qualitative interviews and working with diverse groups is also desirable.
To address this gap, the intern will work closely with community members to 1) better understand health and wellness among youth and families living in rural areas, including members of the Hispanic community, and 2) generate new knowledge surrounding technology access/usage and beliefs about its potential role in promoting health. The internship location is flexible but will require field trips to Logan County if based on-campus. The intern must be conversant in Spanish and English given the number of Spanish-speaking community members in Logan County. Experience with qualitative interviews and working with diverse groups is also desirable.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
A key goal of this summer internship is to lay the groundwork for a robust partnership between CSU main campus, CSU Extension, and community stakeholders in Northeast Colorado – a first step in building a fruitful and impactful collaboration. In addition, the intern’s efforts will directly inform two of the main objectives of this internship, including: 1) Advancing knowledge in Youth Health and Wellness: the intern will be involved in generating new knowledge about daily experiences concerning health and wellness among youth living in rural areas (e.g., mental health, food access, physical activity), and 2) Technology’s Role in Rural Health Promotion: the intern will work with stakeholders to identify gaps, barriers and opportunities related to technology access, usage, and beliefs about its potential in promoting health and behavioral wellness in rural communities. The intern’s time will be split between field-based activities (e.g., working directly in the field with the community and Extension), and lab-based activities (e.g., developing study materials, data management/curation, thematic/descriptive analyses, regulatory processes, self-directed readings, poster project).
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
• Youth and families from Logan County and Northeast Colorado
• Members of Extension and the Northeast Regional Engagement Center
• Community Leaders and Partners
• Members of Extension and the Northeast Regional Engagement Center
• Community Leaders and Partners
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
As part of the proposed internship, the intern will participate in a range of engaged learning activities and professional development opportunities: 1) engaging with members of the community and key stakeholders, 2) developing communication and leadership skills, specifically focused on recruitment efforts and with an emphasis on reaching underserved populations, 3) conducting stakeholder interviews to gather critical community input, 4) acquiring qualitative and quantitative methodological competencies, 5) developing skills for navigating the institutional research regulatory environment, 6) contributing to additional project objectives, 7) participating measure and interview guide development, and 8) engaging in professional development (e.g., interdisciplinary science, manuscript writing, career mentoring).
