Center for Excellence in Rural Health-Hazard

CREEK

CREEK (Community-based Research Education in Eastern Kentucky) promotes the capacity of communities to identify and understand their own health issues so that they can act to improve community health status and quality of life.

The CREEK Education Program adds individualized and experiential curriculum components to students’ existing educational programs. CREEK offers knowledge about health behaviors, with specific applicability to eastern Kentucky. Students actively participate in research projects, develop a professional research identity and build a network of colleagues. CREEK course credit often serves as electives for enrolled undergraduate and graduate students. Qualified individuals who are not students can also apply to participate through the CREEK Research Associates program.

The CREEK Educational Consortium is comprised of regional colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning that support student participation in CREEK. Member schools integrate the CREEK curriculum with their own courses of study, provide course credit through their institutions, support faculty involvement in community-based research and foster collaboration between academic institutions and the community.

The CREEK Clearinghouse connects communities with researchers and research projects, assists in securing funding for research activities, provides technical assistance and support to researchers, matches CREEK students and Research Associates with research opportunities, and maintains a comprehensive database of information regarding behavioral and community based research in Appalachia. The Clearinghouse also disseminates information to all facets of the community including health care systems and providers, community leaders, community educators, and the general public, to ensure that research findings and information are known in and available to the community.

CREEK research activities focus on addressing the behavioral contributors to the health disparities found in Eastern Kentucky and throughout Appalachia. Many chronic diseases occur at higher rates in this region, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and tobacco-related illnesses. CREEK-affiliated research examines the challenges involved in reducing disparities, develops and tests potential intervention strategies, and mobilizes the assets available to improve health and quality of life in our communities.

By "growing our own" researchers and promoting research activity throughout Eastern Kentucky, CREEK supports community development. CREEK-sponsored community development can improve health status in Appalachian communities, provide opportunities for employment in the research arena, and support community-based research and health activities. The CREEK philosophy is that if the problem is in the community, the solution is in the community. CREEK seeks to connect the educational, research, and policy-making components of the region to best serve our communities.

For more information, visit www.uky.edu/programs/creek or call 606-439-3557 ext. 83568