Funding for rural health research from the Australian Research Council: A missed opportunity?

OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of projects, and level of funding, for rural health research from the Australian Research Council (ARC). DESIGN: Analyses of ARC searchable datasets of completed, and new and ongoing projects from 2001 to 2008. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of rural health research projects as a proportion of total funding; level of funding for rural health research projects as a proportion of total funding. RESULTS: Only 46 of 6498 ARC completed projects were classified as rural health research projects. This represents 0.7% of the total number of projects, and 0.39% of the total funding allocated. Only 25 of 4659 ARC new and ongoing projects were classified as rural health research projects. This represents 0.54% of the total number of projects, and 0.27% of the total funding allocated. None of the 832 completed fellowships were classified as rural health. Only five (0.52%) of the 953 new and ongoing fellowships were classified as rural health. CONCLUSIONS: The level of under-funding for rural health research could be partially addressed by directing applications towards the ARC, in addition to the National Health and Medical Research Council. With a few exceptions, rural health researchers are not yet competitive in the national funding arena.