Population-Based RA Outcomes in Rural America
Official title: Population-Based Outcomes Research for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rural Health Disparities
Funded at Mayo Clinic Rochester · NIH-11401420 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A Mayo Clinic-led study is using AI to spot rheumatoid arthritis earlier and reduce delays in treatment for people living in rural areas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $787,248 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR084831-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401420 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with or at risk for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly those living in rural or underserved areas.
✕Less likely to help
Patients in urban or well-connected areas may experience less impact from the AI tool, depending on local access to care.
What this research studies
This project looks at how rural living affects the timing of rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis and treatment, and how AI can help identify RA sooner. Researchers will use population-based data to map disparities between rural and urban patients and track long-term outcomes. The team aims to create an AI tool to flag early RA and test its potential to shorten time to treatment, with a focus on improving access to care for rural residents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the AI tool could speed up early RA detection and lessen joint damage for patients in rural areas by shortening time to treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show promise in using AI for earlier RA detection, but rural-specific validation is needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Crowson, Cynthia S — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Crowson, Cynthia S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gut microbes and methotrexate: boosting RA treatment through microbiome targets
Researchers are studying how gut bacteria affect how well methotrexate works for people with rheumatoid arthritis, aiming to make MTX effective for more patients.
-
Hybrid biomaterial system to boost immunotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis
A new, patient-facing immunotherapy approach uses specialized particles to retrain the immune system to calm RA in adults.
-
Role of Stabilin receptors in rheumatoid arthritis
A short study to understand how certain scavenger receptors may influence the development and progression of rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
-
IgG glycosylation and endothelial FcγRIIB: understanding RA-related heart and blood vessel disease
This project looks at how rheumatoid arthritis affects blood vessels and clotting, with the goal of uncovering new ways to prevent heart and stroke risk for people with RA.
-
Risk factors and biomarkers for progression of subclinical RA-related lung disease
This study follows people with rheumatoid arthritis to understand who develops lung disease and what biomarkers predict it.
-
Pregnancy changes in rheumatoid arthritis and new treatment ideas
This research seeks to understand why some women’s rheumatoid arthritis improves during pregnancy and how to predict and mimic that effect to make treatments safer and more effective for pregnant patients.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.