Mitigating health inequalities in rural European communities through collaborative primary care research: A position paper of the WONCA Europe network EURIPA

Rural populations in Europe face health inequalities due to a multitude of factors, including the higher prevalence of multi-morbidity, inadequate access to primary and secondary health care services, and widespread health workforce shortages. Although some challenges are also present in other contexts, the multitude and interconnectedness of these factors induce significant health inequalities. Research is a prime tool to demonstrate these, examine potential rural-specific solutions and serve as an essential advocacy instrument for change. Rural primary care remains however significantly underrepresented in European research, contributing further to the health inequities as policies and interventions are often based on urban-centric data. Therefore, advancing evidence-based solutions for rural primary healthcare requires stronger research collaboration. In response, the Rural Health European Academic Network (RHEAN) was established in 2024 to expand academic partnerships beyond the WONCA Europe network EURIPA, the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association. This paper identifies rural-specific primary care challenges emerging from key literature and network discussions that shape RHEAN’s collaborative research agenda. The agenda will be refined through a mapping survey of rural primary healthcare research and education within the networks.