Rural Health
Resources by State: Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Mental Health Services for Victims of Sexual Assault and Rape: A Staff Study
Examines existing laws and services in Pennsylvania and offers recommendations to ensure that sexual assault victims receive quality, trauma-informed medical care. Includes recommendations to promote a certified sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program, increase the use of telehealth, and provide for a designation for hospitals, based on their ability to provide comprehensive sexual assault services. Features a section comparing availability of certified SANE nurses in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Grant Rosul, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Examines existing laws and services in Pennsylvania and offers recommendations to ensure that sexual assault victims receive quality, trauma-informed medical care. Includes recommendations to promote a certified sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program, increase the use of telehealth, and provide for a designation for hospitals, based on their ability to provide comprehensive sexual assault services. Features a section comparing availability of certified SANE nurses in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Grant Rosul, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Traffic Safety in Appalachia: Final Report
Defines the traffic safety culture in Appalachia and discusses causes of common safety problems in the region, including drug- and alcohol-impaired driving. Explores environmental concerns of Appalachian drivers, such as expansive rural regions, mountainous and curved terrain, and dense forests exposed to extreme weather elements. Includes analysis of Appalachian traffic fatalities, fatal crash data statistics, and an evaluation of the Appalachian Development Highway System as a possible intervention measure for treating traffic safety problems. Also includes a case study of severe crashes in Appalachian North Carolina, featuring statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Additional links: Research Brief
Author(s): Wesley Kumfer, Katherine Harmon, Bo Lan, et al.
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Defines the traffic safety culture in Appalachia and discusses causes of common safety problems in the region, including drug- and alcohol-impaired driving. Explores environmental concerns of Appalachian drivers, such as expansive rural regions, mountainous and curved terrain, and dense forests exposed to extreme weather elements. Includes analysis of Appalachian traffic fatalities, fatal crash data statistics, and an evaluation of the Appalachian Development Highway System as a possible intervention measure for treating traffic safety problems. Also includes a case study of severe crashes in Appalachian North Carolina, featuring statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Additional links: Research Brief
Author(s): Wesley Kumfer, Katherine Harmon, Bo Lan, et al.
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Development Increased Income for Rural Pennsylvania Families, but Youth Obesity Rates Remained High
Results of a study examining whether increases in income generated by Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction led to declines in youth obesity in parts of Pennsylvania where geological conditions were better for extracting natural gas. Uses data from 317 Pennsylvania school districts and compares youth obesity rates in 2007 and 2011.
Author(s): Molly A. Martin
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion, Penn State Population Research Institute
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Results of a study examining whether increases in income generated by Marcellus Shale natural gas extraction led to declines in youth obesity in parts of Pennsylvania where geological conditions were better for extracting natural gas. Uses data from 317 Pennsylvania school districts and compares youth obesity rates in 2007 and 2011.
Author(s): Molly A. Martin
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion, Penn State Population Research Institute
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Rural Availability of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs)
Study examining the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) in rural areas based on county-level and hospital-level data from Pennsylvania. Describes challenges for SANE availability, including inconsistent coverage and barriers to certification, noting the potential risk of lower quality sexual assault care for rural victims.
Author(s): Elizabeth Thiede, Sheridan Miyamoto
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 81-91
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Study examining the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) in rural areas based on county-level and hospital-level data from Pennsylvania. Describes challenges for SANE availability, including inconsistent coverage and barriers to certification, noting the potential risk of lower quality sexual assault care for rural victims.
Author(s): Elizabeth Thiede, Sheridan Miyamoto
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 81-91
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Pennsylvania Municipal Officials' Views on COVID-19 Vaccine and Pennsylvania's Response to the Pandemic
Results of an email survey of 1,009 elected officials, to gather information about their attitudes toward vaccines and the Pennsylvania state government's response to COVID-19. Features statistics on the percentages of officials likely to get vaccinated, who felt the state's response had been effective, and who had recently attended municipal meetings in virtual, in-person, or hybrid formats, with breakdowns by rural or urban location.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Results of an email survey of 1,009 elected officials, to gather information about their attitudes toward vaccines and the Pennsylvania state government's response to COVID-19. Features statistics on the percentages of officials likely to get vaccinated, who felt the state's response had been effective, and who had recently attended municipal meetings in virtual, in-person, or hybrid formats, with breakdowns by rural or urban location.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Rural Snapshot: Pennsylvania Health Care Providers and Facilities
Provides statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas on numbers of Pennsylvania medical doctors, healthcare professionals, and mental health professionals; percent of healthcare and social service workers ages 55 or older; and hospital beds per 1,000 residents. Includes a county-level map showing locations and numbers of various types of Pennsylvania health care facilities, with shadings indicating rural or urban counties.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Provides statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas on numbers of Pennsylvania medical doctors, healthcare professionals, and mental health professionals; percent of healthcare and social service workers ages 55 or older; and hospital beds per 1,000 residents. Includes a county-level map showing locations and numbers of various types of Pennsylvania health care facilities, with shadings indicating rural or urban counties.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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DataGram: Pennsylvania Hospitalizations for Bites and Stings, 2019
Presents county-level map with number of hospitalizations for bites and stings per 100,000 Pennsylvania residents in 2019, and statistics with breakdown by urban or rural county.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Presents county-level map with number of hospitalizations for bites and stings per 100,000 Pennsylvania residents in 2019, and statistics with breakdown by urban or rural county.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Disrupting Disparities in Pennsylvania: Retooling for Geographic, Racial and Ethnic Growth
White paper examining geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in Pennsylvania along key health indicators, based on interviews with key stakeholders, a literature review, and analyses of databases on the health of Pennsylvanians. Includes sections on telehealth, broadband access as a social determinant of health, and challenges of aging in rural areas. Features demographics and statistics on prevalence of chronic diseases and maps showing Pennsylvania rural counties and Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas.
Author(s): Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili, Angela Foreshaw-Rouse, Martha C. Coates, et al.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: AARP, Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
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White paper examining geographic and racial/ethnic disparities in Pennsylvania along key health indicators, based on interviews with key stakeholders, a literature review, and analyses of databases on the health of Pennsylvanians. Includes sections on telehealth, broadband access as a social determinant of health, and challenges of aging in rural areas. Features demographics and statistics on prevalence of chronic diseases and maps showing Pennsylvania rural counties and Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas.
Author(s): Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili, Angela Foreshaw-Rouse, Martha C. Coates, et al.
Date: 2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: AARP, Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions
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Mortality in Rural Areas: Insights from National Research and Community-Based Initiatives
Webinar recording discusses mortality rates in rural and urban areas, as well as the causes of rural mortality. Features presentations from representatives of the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug & Alcohol Commission.
Additional links: Audio Recording, PowerPoint Handout, Webinar Transcript
Date: 11/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Webinar recording discusses mortality rates in rural and urban areas, as well as the causes of rural mortality. Features presentations from representatives of the Health Resources and Services Administration, the National Center for Health Statistics, and the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug & Alcohol Commission.
Additional links: Audio Recording, PowerPoint Handout, Webinar Transcript
Date: 11/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Mental Health Status in Veterans Residing in Rural Versus Non-rural Areas: Results from the Veterans' Health Study
Highlights a study on the self-reported mental health status of veterans in rural Pennsylvania. Bases findings on interviews with veterans who have served at least 1 deployment in a war zone, and compares findings by rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Joseph J. Boscarino, Charles R. Figley, Richard E. Adams, et al.
Citation: Military Medical Research, 7, 44
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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Highlights a study on the self-reported mental health status of veterans in rural Pennsylvania. Bases findings on interviews with veterans who have served at least 1 deployment in a war zone, and compares findings by rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Joseph J. Boscarino, Charles R. Figley, Richard E. Adams, et al.
Citation: Military Medical Research, 7, 44
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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