Convening Primary Care Clinicians and Community Members for Patient-Centered CER in Climate Health in Rural KY and VT

Abstract Project Rationale: Rural communities face disproportionate health risks from climate-related factors such as ?ooding, extreme heat, and poor air quality, which are compounded by limited healthcare access and high chronic disease burden. Focusing on Kentucky (KY) and Vermont (VT), this project leverages two established Practice-Based Research Networks (PBRNs) to engage rural primary care clinicians (PCCs), community health workers (CHWs), patients, and caregivers in identifying climate-related health priorities and engagement approaches to inform future patient-centered Comparative E?ectiveness Research (CER). Objectives: Guided by PCORI''s Engagement in Healthcare Research framework, the project will: 1: Identify and prioritize climate-related health concerns in two resource-matched rural communities in KY and VT through surveys with patients, caregivers, PCCs, and CHWs 2. Create a collaborative forum to identify opportunities for future patient-centered CER based on community-identi?ed climate health needs. 3. Compare priorities across participant roles and communities to ensure responsiveness, relevance, and potential uptake of future CER topics. 4. Synthesize ?ndings through an expert-informed webinar and a representative community and clinician advisory group to prioritize climate health CER ideas and develop a community-vetted patient- centered CER planning document. 5. Disseminate CER recommendations through a public comment period and professional networks to inform future climate health CER. Activities: This project will implement a multi-faceted engagement series that includes: 1) Perspective gathering on climate-health needs through surveys with patients, caregivers, PCCs, and CHWs; 2) An expert- informed webinar that synthesizes ?ndings from the survey results; 3) A community-clinician committee forum to develop a patient-centered CER planning document; and 4) A public comment period, including a plain-language video and 30-day survey, to re?ne a ?nal CER strategic planning document. Outcomes and Deliverables: Short-term outcomes during the project period: Outcomes include community-driven prioritized climate- related health topics for future patient-centered CER. Deliverables will include engagement summaries, an expert-informed webinar, a survey data summary, a community-vetted patient-centered CER planning document, and a public video and feedback survey. Medium-term outcomes (0-2 years post-project period): Findings will inform development of future patient- centered CER focused on community-identi?ed priorities and guide CER planning in other rural communities through dissemination via professional and community networks. Long-term outcomes (3+ years post-project period): This work will contribute to evidence and resources supporting rural community climate health CER and inform resilience and adaptation e?orts. Patient and Stakeholder Engagement Plan: Researchers and regionally grounded climate-health experts will engage patients, caregivers, PCCs, and CHCs through surveys, webinars, and an advisory group throughout the project to ensure representative community perspectives. PBRNs: the Kentucky Ambulatory Network and the NNE CO-OP PBRN. This new PBRN partnership leverages existing collaborators and networks including a CHW network in KY (KY Homeplace) and the NNE CO-OP PCBRN’s Climate Health Research Workgroup.