Rural Health
News by Topic: Social determinants of health

CDC: Meeting of the Advisory Committee to the Director (ACD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Federal Register

Apr 29, 2024 - The Advisory Committee to the Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (ACD, CDC) will hold a public meeting on June 6, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern. CD advises the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Director of the CDC on policies and strategies that will enable the CDC to fulfill its mission of protecting health through health promotion, prevention, and preparedness. Agenda items will include an update on CDC priorities from the CDC Director, discussions on CDC's work to address equity and social determinants of health, lab readiness and response improvement efforts, programmatic updates, and updates from the ACD Data and Surveillance Workgroup and the Communications and Public Engagement Workgroup. Information on how to join the meeting virtually will be posted on the ACD website prior to the meeting.

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Native Americans Have Shorter Life Spans, and It's Not Just Due to Lack of Health Care

Apr 15, 2024 - Discusses the social and economic factors contributing to early mortality for Native Americans. Highlights community health workers, food insecurity, generational trauma, and interventions attempting to reduce disparities.

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City-Country Mortality Gap Widens amid Persistent Holes in Rural Health Care Access

Apr 8, 2024 - Discusses the mortality rate disparity between rural and urban residents following recent research showing the gap has widened to 43% in 2019 from 6% in 1999 for adults between 25 and 54. Offers analysis by experts on causes of this disparity including social vulnerability factors, community vitality, and insurance rates. Discusses the potential impact of COVID-19 on current mortality rates.

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With Higher Cancer Death Rates in Rural Areas, U.Va. Seeks to Improve Prevention, Access to Clinical Trials

Apr 3, 2024 - Highlights a Virginia initiative to increase access to clinical trials, cancer screenings, and specialty cancer care for rural residents. Discusses current access challenges such as distance, transportation, and socioeconomic barriers.

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New Rural Health Program Directs Resources to Rural Communities to Improve Health

Mar 29, 2024 - The Missouri Department of Social Services announced the approval of a waiver amendment allowing for full deployment of the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) pilot project. This primary care case management model addresses social care challenges that affect people's ability to remain healthy and manage chronic conditions.

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Integrated TeleOT Provides Virtual Occupational Therapy

Mar 26, 2024 - Describes virtual occupational therapy services offered by 2 Veterans Affairs facilities to reach rural veterans. Notes that the program is able to address social determinants of health issues such as home safety evaluations and fall risk assessments. Discusses how the program integrates with other virtual VA services.

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HHS: National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics Federal Register

Mar 19, 2024 - The National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) will hold a virtual public meeting on April 11-12, 2024. Agenda items include discussions on the 2024 workplan and briefings and discussions with invited experts on several health data policy topics, including standards for social determinants of health data elements, possible implications of value based care models versus fee-for-service on HIPAA standards, an overview of the key elements of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) published by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) in November 2023, and exploration of privacy and security in AI in technology and healthcare. Registration for the meeting is available on the NCVHS website.

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HRSA: Meeting of the Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality Federal Register

Mar 13, 2024 - The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will hold a virtual public meeting of the Advisory Committee on Infant and Maternal Mortality (ACIMM) on April 2-4, 2024. Agenda items are being finalized but may include an update on the federal Healthy Start program; Committee discussions on the workgroup topics of rural healthcare access, social drivers of health, and women's health before/between pregnancies; federal updates; and remarks from individuals with lived experience and community members, including those representing community-based organizations, on how to achieve optimal maternal health and overall birth outcomes for underserved populations. The webinar link and log-in information will be available at the ACIMM website before the meeting. Requests for public comment should be sent via email to SACIM@hrsa.gov.

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