Appalachian health researchers discuss work, with three sessions on drugs, and are urged to engage more closely with communities
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A big step toward improving health in Appalachia would be closer relationships between residents of the region and researchers -- who often drop in, gather data and leave. That's what researchers were told last week as they gathered in Lexington to talk about their work in Appalachia, ranging from opioid disposal programs to air and water quality. Joyce Bells-Berry of the Mayo Clinic, keynote at the Appalachian Translational Research Network Summit Joyce Bells-Berry of the Mayo Clinic said at the eighth annual Appalachian Translational Research Network Summit that it was time for Appalachian researchers to stop "helicopter" research and truly engage with communities in the region. "Community engagement allows us to get to the why so that we can answer our research questions in a way that is pivotal for changing the lives of those around us, in a way that builds partnerships and mutual respect, while taking into consideration ...