The ATRN 2026 Annual Health Summit brought together community members, researchers, faculty, healthcare professionals and public health partners committed to improving health throughout Appalachia. Centered on the theme, “Listening, Learning and Leading: Translating Research to Strengthen Health for Appalachia,” the two-day summit gave participants an opportunity to share their work, learn from one another and build connections across the region.
Presenters covered a wide range of issues affecting Appalachian communities, including behavioral health, substance use, tobacco cessation, diabetes, cancer, maternal health, environmental health and access to care. Sessions also explored health communication, workforce development and the role of community partnerships in developing solutions that reflect the needs and priorities of the people they are intended to serve.
Community-engaged research was an important focus throughout the summit. Beverly Stringer, community engagement program manager for The Ohio State University Clinical and Translational Science Institute and ATRN, shared her work through the presentation, “The Impact of Community Collaboration in Research in Rural Appalachian Ohio.” Stringer also oversees the Southeast Ohio Community Advisory Board, which helps bring community perspectives into research and strengthen connections between researchers and communities in the region.
Her presentation highlighted how working alongside communities can help researchers better understand local priorities, build trust and develop research that is more meaningful to the people it is intended to benefit.
At its core, the ATRN 2026 Annual Health Summit was about bringing people together and putting communities at the center of the work. The connections and conversations throughout the summit highlighted how collaboration between researchers, healthcare professionals, public health partners and community members can lead to research that better reflects local needs and makes a meaningful difference in Appalachian communities.
