Spaces Less Travelled: Community-Led Health Initiatives in Regional, Rural and Remote Settings

The World Health Organization defines public health as the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society. Effective and sustained initiatives to educate the public and promote health and wellbeing must therefore involve active, equal and authentic partnerships between communities and universities. While much research is situated within universities, community leaders must be recognised as trusted leaders and influencers, bringing connections with industry and enabling all involved to consider and explore options with energy and confidence. The ingenuity and creativity inherent in such community–university partnerships can quietly achieve the extraordinary in promoting health and wellbeing locally, nationally and globally. We are particularly interested in health and wellbeing in regional, rural and remote communities, where outcomes are often poorer than in urban areas and where fragile and uncertain economic conditions can compound disadvantage. In this context, building resilience through partnerships, collaboration and community-led approaches is critical to achieving sustainable health and wellbeing outcomes.The goal of this Research Topic is to explore, showcase and promote successful community-led public health and wellbeing initiatives undertaken in partnership with universities. We welcome contributions that demonstrate how authentic, equitable and sustainable collaborations between communities, researchers, practitioners and other stakeholders can improve health and wellbeing from childhood through to older age. The collection will highlight innovative approaches to co-design, community engagement, capacity building, knowledge exchange and implementation that support meaningful and lasting health improvement, advancing understanding of how community–university partnerships contribute to healthier, more equitable and more resilient communities.Suitable themes for manuscripts include, but are not limited to:• Community empowerment, co-design and social justice in regional, rural and remote communities;• Building rural and remote health workforce capacity through community–university partnerships;• Intergenerational health and wellbeing in rural and remote populations;• Indigenous-led health and wellbeing initiatives in regional and remote areas;• Community resilience and wellbeing in rural regions facing economic uncertainty;• Health equity and health literacy in underserved rural and remote populations;• Digital health and community innovation for geographically isolated communities;• Knowledge translation and sustainable university partnerships with rural communities. Topic editors: Lynette Ruth Goldberg, Sarah Prior, Cynthia Heiss Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85668/spaces-less-travelled-community-led-health-initiatives-in-regional-rural-and-remote-settings