title: Prevention research in rural communities: overview and concluding comments.
abstract: This paper provides an overview of the challenges that confront researchers in rural settings, synthesizing the manuscripts in this special issue of The American Journal of Community Psychology. Researchers typically focus on issues of research design, measurement, and data analyses. However, when applied research is conducted in rural settings, greater time and attention are required to identify how the research can be conducted successfully. In this overview of the challenges that confront researchers in rural contexts, qualitative differences between rural and urban environments are described with particular attention to their implications for the conduct of rural research. Finally, theoretical and research topics that can better inform future rural research efforts are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: St Lawrence
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ndiaye
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D014481:United States