Dr. Marta McCrum, at the University of Utah, is actively recruiting rural patient survivors and family caregivers to participate in her PCORI-funded project, Building Capacity for PCOR/CER by Engaging Rural Trauma Survivors and Their Recovery Communities. These patients and caregivers, along with healthcare professionals and other stakeholders, are participating in a series of virtual community engagement studios to identify research gaps and prioritize future PCOR/CER topics using the SEED (Stakeholder Engagement in Question Development and Prioritization) method.

The project aims to address long-standing disparities in trauma recovery for rural populations in the U.S., who face unique challenges such as limited access to specialized services, geographic isolation, and socioeconomic barriers. Despite representing nearly 20% of the national population, rural trauma survivors are significantly underrepresented in studies of trauma survivorship. Recognizing these gaps, the project seeks to build capacity for patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and comparative effectiveness research (CER) by convening a diverse community of stakeholders, including trauma survivors, family caregivers, healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocacy groups.

To date, the project has focused on recruiting a representative, inclusive research community and conducting engagement activities to develop a patient-centered research agenda. Recruitment is ongoing, and the next series of engagement sessions is set to occur summer 2025.

If you are a trauma surgeon, nurse or other trauma care provider who serves in a rural setting, please download the recruitment flyer to share with your patients: In English or In Spanish