Rural and Appalachian Health
Faculty in the Virginia Tech Public Health Program conduct interdisciplinary, community-engaged research to advance health equity in rural and Appalachian communities. Their work addresses disparities shaped by geography, infrastructure, and social determinants of health. Research focuses on underserved populations, including rural residents, while examining chronic disease, cancer outcomes, and access to care using data-driven and spatial approaches.
Environmental health studies in rural areas investigate drinking water quality, wastewater monitoring, and exposures associated with flooding, heat, and resource extraction. Strong partnerships with public health agencies, Cooperative Extension, and community organizations support workforce development, capacity building, and practical solutions that improve health outcomes across the region.
Faculty engaging in Rural and Appalachian Health Research
Dr. Austin is a methodologist whose research focuses on the health of marginalized populations, including Veterans experiencing homelessness and LGBT-identified individuals living in the South. She has spent the last ten years focused on implementing best practices in public health education through the creation of innovative curricula and faculty mentoring. She is focused on strengthening the public health workforce in Southwest Virginia.
Dr. Cohen conducts applied research on drinking water (contamination, treatment, and supply), wastewater-based surveillance, and health outcomes, with a focus on rural and low-resource settings. He has 15+ years of international and domestic research and project management experience, including work with three United Nations agencies.
Dr. Deagle has a 30-year background in public health, community-engaged research, and teaching. She is a former Title V Maternal and Child Health Director for VDH. Her research areas are in improving teaching pedagogy for large classes and the intersection of public health research/academia with public health practice.
Dr. Eberth is an epidemiologist and health services researcher. Prior to joining Virginia Tech, she was the Director of the Rural and Minority Health Research Center at the University of South Carolina. She has published over 100 articles related to rural health and healthcare disparities, with a focus on cancer prevention and control and medical geography. In 2020, she was named “Researcher of the Year” by the National Rural Health Association.
Dr. Gautam's research interests focus on evidence-based health behavior change for disease prevention and leveraging technology in global health promotion. Currently, Dr. Gautam is developing water sampling drones to improve accessibility, safety, and efficiency in water sampling and monitoring for early disease detection and prevention, especially in low-resource settings.
Dr. Gohlke's research evaluates environmental exposures in rural populations. For example, her research has examined heat exposure in urban versus rural areas of Alabama, birth outcomes associated with proximity to surface mining sites in Central Appalachia, and flood-related health outcomes in rural Appalachian parts of Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Dr. Holt, is an epidemiologist who specializes in epidemiology, curriculum development, and public health education. Her work focuses on improving population health through data-driven approaches, student engagement, and community collaboration, with research contributions spanning obesity, health disparities, and applied epidemiologic methods.
Dr. Hosig is Director of the Virginia Tech Center for Public Health Practice and Research (CPHPR) and Initiative Leader for Health and Well-being for Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE). The mission of CPHPR is to foster interdisciplinary, collaborative public health practice and research activities at Virginia Tech and among external public health agencies, organizations, practitioners, and researchers, particularly in Southwest and Central Virginia and Appalachia. VCE has deep connections in communities across Virginia through local offices that house Extension agents who disseminate best practices and evidence-based resources related to health, positive youth development, community viability, and agriculture and natural resources.
Dr. Ruktanonchai’s research interests focus on health equity and social justice in rural areas, where spatial disparities can be especially stark.
Dr. Wenzel conducts community-engaged research with a focus on rural and health-disparate populations. She specializes in qualitative and applied participatory methods. Her practice-based research addresses a wide range of public health topics, including intimate partner violence, sexual and reproductive health, and substance use. She founded the New River Academic Health Department and serves as its director.