BOONE, N.C. — Dr. Maggie Sugg, associate professor and honors director in the Appalachian State University Department of Geography and Planning, is studying the challenges rural healthcare systems and their communities face during recovery from floods like those caused by Hurricane Helene. The project, titled "Supporting Flood Recovery in Rural, Mountainous Areas through Health Systems Knowledge Exchange and Fine-Scale Healthcare Utilization Data Analysis," is supported by a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling over $750,000.
For this two-phase project, Dr. Sugg is collaborating with Jennifer Schroeder Tyson, research assistant professor in App State's Department of Public Health, and researchers from Virginia Tech. Together, they aim to better understand the long‑term health impacts of catastrophic flooding and strengthen future disaster preparedness.
In the first phase, currently underway, Sugg and Tyson — along with undergraduate and graduate researchers — are working with local health departments and Cooperative Extension agents in Western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia to document healthcare challenges and identify essential recovery needs in flood‑affected, rural Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). Their efforts include interviewing healthcare providers and recovery personnel, coordinating knowledge‑exchange sessions with professionals from other flood‑impacted regions, and developing communication and coordination strategies to guide immediate recovery efforts.
The second phase, projected to span years two through five of the grant, will build on these findings through a comprehensive analysis of healthcare utilization, social vulnerability, and health risks in disaster‑prone, rural areas. Sugg will lead the development of detailed maps that visualize daily flooding extent and integrate them with healthcare utilization data to reveal shifts in healthcare demand during flood events. She will also guide an analysis of social vulnerability indicators, such as poverty rates and healthcare access, to better understand the compounded risks faced by vulnerable populations.
The project’s final step will unite qualitative insights from phase one and quantitative findings from phase two to create a more complete understanding of flood‑related challenges in Appalachia. Ultimately, Sugg and Tyson plan to develop a data toolbox to share these results with local stakeholders, response teams, and policymakers. The team hopes that this work will help communities recover more quickly and prepare more effectively for future disasters.
This grant is administered by App State's Research Institute for Environment, Energy, and Economics.
Related: Dr. Maggie Sugg receives grant to establish Appalachia flood-health resilience research network
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About the Department of Geography and Planning
The Department of Geography and Planning promotes the understanding of the spatial dimensions of human behavior within the physical and cultural systems of the earth, and the role of planning in achieving improvement in those systems. The department offers degrees in geography and in community and regional planning. Learn more at geo.appstate.edu.
About the Department of Public Health
Appalachian State University’s Department of Public Health, housed in the Beaver College of Health Sciences, is dedicated to preparing students to promote and protect the health of individuals and communities through education, research and service. With a focus on rural and underserved populations, the department’s undergraduate and graduate programs equip future public health professionals with the skills needed to address real-world health challenges in North Carolina and beyond. Learn more at phes.appstate.edu/public-health.
About the Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics
Since 2008, Appalachian State University’s Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics (RIEEE) has fostered interdisciplinary research on the environment, energy and economics, especially the areas in which these subjects intersect. The institute serves as an umbrella organization for three research centers: the Appalachian Energy Center, Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis, and Southern Appalachian Environmental Research and Education Center. Additionally, the institute manages and supports App State’s student-led solar vehicle team, Team Sunergy — an exemplary model of the integrative and experiential student learning, leadership and innovation opportunities the institute seeks to foster at App State. Learn more at rieee.appstate.edu.
By Lauren Gibbs
January 28, 2026
BOONE, N.C.
Dr. Maggie Sugg is an associate professor and the honors director in the Appalachian State University Department of Geography and Planning. Photo by University Communications
Dr. Maggie Sugg is an associate professor and the honors director in the Appalachian State University Department of Geography and Planning. Photo by University Communications