Fecha de publicación: -- Fuente: PubMed "essential OR oil extract" Rural Remote Health. 2026 Sep;26(3):9949. doi: 10.22605/RRH9949. Epub 2026 Sep 1.ABSTRACTINTRODUCTION: Rural, regional and remote (henceforth 'rural') communities face unique health challenges, including limited access to health care, workforce shortages, and higher disease burden. Consumer and community involvement is essential for addressing real-world health needs and fostering equity, yet its role in shaping research priorities remains largely underexplored, particularly in rural contexts. This study aims to identify consumer priorities for rural health research in Australia and to describe the process and learnings of a novel approach to promoting involvement of rural consumers in health research.METHODS: We adopted the World Café method, involving a 1-day workshop and pre- and post-surveys with rural consumers and researchers from the Western Downs region of Queensland, Australia. We invited participants to share their health experiences and identify local health priorities. Discussions were graphically recorded during the workshop. Participants and facilitators notes were content-analysed to identify key research categories. Demographic data and pre- and post-workshop surveys were analysed descriptively.RESULTS: Five key priorities were identified: (1) recruiting and retaining GPs in rural towns; (2) expanding multidisciplinary care; (3) increasing community awareness of local health and wellbeing services; (4) enhancing chronic care options, including remote monitoring; and (5) addressing links between health and hardship, such as housing and financial challenges. Consumer and researcher participants reached consensus on the need for tailored, community-driven interventions and increased collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and local communities.CONCLUSION: Active involvement of consumers is important for determining user needs and research priorities in rural community settings and should be routine when planning and prioritising healthcare services in order to foster improved health outcomes.PMID:42716571 | DOI:10.22605/RRH9949