Rural and underserved communities like those in the southeast United States are more likely to have health inequities due to issues related to social determinants of health (SDOH). To adequately address these disparities, there must be culturally sensitive, innovative approaches that address the SDOH.
Methods:
A grant-funded, capacity-building program among community-based organizations that have mobile health units (MHUs) and a large College of Nursing was designed to increase immersive clinical opportunities in rural communities while also expanding outreach activities.
Results:
RN-BSN and graduate family nurse practitioner students worked with multi-disciplinary teams, civic groups, and church leaders during community outreach events. Thousands of health care screenings, assessments, and other health care interventions were conducted.
Discussion:
The number of outreach projects with community partners increased. All students and partners reported satisfaction with the program.
BakerD.CadetK.ManniS. (2021). COVID-19 testing and social determinants of health among disadvantaged Baltimore neighborhoods: A community mobile health clinic outreach model. Population Health Management, 24(6), 657–663. https://doi.org/10.1089/pop.2021.0066
2.
BrownsonR. C.FieldingJ. E.GreenL. W. (2018). Building capacity for evidence-based public health: Reconciling the pulls of practice and the push of research. Annual Review of Public Health, 39, 27–53. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040617-014746
DePriestK.GlasgowL.BayerE. M.WeissS.HackerK. (2025). Building healthy, equitable, and resilient communities: Lessons learned from multisector community partnerships addressing the social determinants of health. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 31(1), 83–89. https://doi:10.1097/PHH.0000000000001998
5.
JavedA. (2025). Bridging the health care gap in rural populations: Challenges, innovations, and solutions. The American Journal of Medicine, 138(5), 731–762.
6.
KassamS.MarcellusL.ButcherD. (2022). Leave no one behind: How nurses are building capacity within health systems to respond to global forced migration. JBI Evidence Synthesis, 20(11), 2605–2606. https://doi:10.11124/JBIES-22-00384
7.
MaloneN.WilliamsM.FawziM.BennetJ.HillC.KatzJ.OriolN. (2020). Mobile health clinics in the United States. International Journal for Equity in Health, 19(1), 40. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-020-1135-7
8.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2021). The future of nursing 2020- 2030: Charting a path to achieve health equity. The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25982
SaboK.HerringE.ClockC.BellJ.ReidyP. (2025). Exploring mobile health units: A scoping review. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 36(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1353/hpu.2025.a951582
13.
ShawT.BunchJ.CarlsonL. (2022). Infirmary health community health needs assessment 2019-2021. https://tinyurl.com/4seypxep
14.
SkylarR.GoldmanR. (2022). “The first person they call is their pastor”: The role of New York City faith leaders in supporting their congregation’s health and well‑being during COVID‑19. Journal of Religion and Health, 62, 2861–2880. https://doi:10.1007/s10943-023-01789-5
