Rural Health
Research Gateway

Kate Beatty, PhD

Rural Health Equity Research Center

Phone: 423.439.4482
Email: beattyk@etsu.edu

Department of Health Services Management & Policy
East Tennessee State University
College of Public Health
168 Lamb Hall
Box 70264
Johnson City, TN 37614

Current Projects - (1)

  • Comparing Across Health Indices: Differences by Rurality, Missingness, and Associations With Health Outcomes
    The purpose of this study is to describe and compare existing area-level indices of vulnerability by rurality and to examine associations between indices and health outcomes of interest by area-level measures of rurality.
    Research center: Rural Health Equity Research Center
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Healthcare access, Poverty, Rural statistics and demographics, Social determinants of health, Uninsured and underinsured

Completed Projects - (3)

  • Assessment of the Area Deprivation Index in Rural Areas
    The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) was created by University of Wisconsin researchers to provide a score for neighborhoods based on their level of disadvantage. This study characterized differences in ADI in rural vs urban areas, summarized the existing literature on ADI, and described expert considerations for utilizing the ADI for future policy.
    Research center: Rural Health Equity Research Center
    Topics: Frontier health, Health disparities and health equity, Poverty, Rural statistics and demographics, Social determinants of health
  • Examining the Burden of Public Stigma Associated with Mental Illness in the Rural U.S.
    This project quantitatively examined the burden of public stigma associated with mental illness in rural versus nonrural communities using a nationally representative panel-based survey. Findings inform strategies aimed at reducing stigma and improving the lives of those experiencing mental illness in rural communities.
    Research center: Rural Health Equity Research Center
    Topics: Health services, Mental and behavioral health
  • Following the Money: Do Block Grant Resources Reach Rural Communities?
    This project applied a mixed methods design to describe the distribution of block grant resources from federal agencies through states to the local level in rural and non-rural communities in the United States. Findings could guide federal agencies and policy makers to develop strategies to more effectively target block grant resources to ensure that the needs of vulnerable rural populations are addressed.
    Research center: Rural Health Equity Research Center
    Topics: Health services, Healthcare financing, Public health, Rural statistics and demographics

Publications - (4)

2024

2023

  • State Priorities and Needs: The Role of Block Grants
    Journal Article
    Rural Health Equity Research Center
    Date: 11/2023
    This study looks at state-level funding allocations for 5 federal block grant programs from 2015-2019, and associations with state-level measures of need that align with the purposes of each block grant program.
  • The Relationship Between Experience With Mental Illness and Stigmatizing Attitudes and Beliefs
    Policy Brief
    Rural Health Equity Research Center
    Date: 08/2023
    This policy brief documents the relationship between self-reported experience with any mental illness (whether first-hand or second-hand) and public stigma associated with mental illness. Differences in the prevalence of experience with mental illness by geography are also explored.

2022

  • Examining the Burden of Public Stigma Associated With Mental Illness in the Rural United States
    Policy Brief
    Rural Health Equity Research Center
    Date: 09/2022
    Stigma is a widely recognized barrier to receipt of health and mental health services. This policy brief documents the burden of public stigma associated with any mental illness in rural versus non-rural communities in the United States. Differences in stigmatizing attitudes and beliefs by rurality, gender, race and ethnicity, and age are examined.