Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Rural–Urban Health Disparities among US Adults Ages 50 and Older
Report examining health disparities for Americans ages 50 and older by rural/urban location and by race/ethnicity. Analyzes rates of healthcare access, health behaviors, and chronic health conditions based on 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data.
Author(s): Beth Carter, Olivia Dean
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Report examining health disparities for Americans ages 50 and older by rural/urban location and by race/ethnicity. Analyzes rates of healthcare access, health behaviors, and chronic health conditions based on 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data.
Author(s): Beth Carter, Olivia Dean
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Following Labor and Delivery Unit Closures in Rural New Hampshire, Driving Time to the Nearest Unit Doubled
Examines the impact of the closure of 9 labor and delivery units in rural New Hampshire on the driving time to open units between 2000 and 2018. Explores the association between proximity to an open labor and delivery unit and women's health and socioeconomic characteristics.
Author(s): Stacey McMorrow, Sarah Benatar, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Examines the impact of the closure of 9 labor and delivery units in rural New Hampshire on the driving time to open units between 2000 and 2018. Explores the association between proximity to an open labor and delivery unit and women's health and socioeconomic characteristics.
Author(s): Stacey McMorrow, Sarah Benatar, Timothy J. Fisher
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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The Veterans Community Care Program: Background and Early Effects
Provides an overview of the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), and discusses the impact of the program on veterans' access to care and the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) spending on community care. Explores other effects of VCCP, including care coordination, healthcare quality, and utilization of VHA facilities.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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Provides an overview of the Veterans Community Care Program (VCCP), and discusses the impact of the program on veterans' access to care and the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) spending on community care. Explores other effects of VCCP, including care coordination, healthcare quality, and utilization of VHA facilities.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Budget Office
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Ensuring Equity in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery
Video of testimony presented to the House Committee on Homeland Security on Oct. 27, 2021. Discusses disaster-related disparities and inequities in tribal, minority, underserved, and rural communities, and offers recommendations for improvement. Includes links for transcripts.
Additional links: Testimony by Chauncia Willis, Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, Testimony by Christopher Currie, Government Accountability Office, Testimony by James Joseph, Tidal Basin Government Consulting, Testimony by Lori Peek, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
Author(s): Lori Peek, Chauncia Willis, Christopher Currie, James Joseph
Date: 10/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Homeland Security
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Video of testimony presented to the House Committee on Homeland Security on Oct. 27, 2021. Discusses disaster-related disparities and inequities in tribal, minority, underserved, and rural communities, and offers recommendations for improvement. Includes links for transcripts.
Additional links: Testimony by Chauncia Willis, Institute for Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Management, Testimony by Christopher Currie, Government Accountability Office, Testimony by James Joseph, Tidal Basin Government Consulting, Testimony by Lori Peek, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder
Author(s): Lori Peek, Chauncia Willis, Christopher Currie, James Joseph
Date: 10/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Homeland Security
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Health Workforce Strategic Plan
Provides a framework for health workforce improvements and addresses long-standing barriers to strengthening the health workforce. Focuses on recruiting and training health professionals from underserved communities to build a diverse, representative health workforce; ensuring equitable distribution of the workforce across geographic areas and health professions; strengthening the ability of the workforce to deliver high-quality care, including through strengthening cultural and linguistic competency of professionals; and using evidence and data to make better decisions about health workforce education and training investments. Mentions rural throughout.
Additional links: Comments from Federal National Advisory Committees
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Provides a framework for health workforce improvements and addresses long-standing barriers to strengthening the health workforce. Focuses on recruiting and training health professionals from underserved communities to build a diverse, representative health workforce; ensuring equitable distribution of the workforce across geographic areas and health professions; strengthening the ability of the workforce to deliver high-quality care, including through strengthening cultural and linguistic competency of professionals; and using evidence and data to make better decisions about health workforce education and training investments. Mentions rural throughout.
Additional links: Comments from Federal National Advisory Committees
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Spatial Analysis of Colorectal Cancer Outcomes and Socioeconomic Factors in Virginia
Shares the results of a spatial analysis of colorectal cancer outcomes in Virginia. Identifies demographic, socioeconomic, and other factors related to healthcare access that impact colorectal cancer disparities. Includes tables and maps sharing rural versus urban data and information.
Author(s): Esther J. Thatcher, Fabian Camacho, Roger T. Anderson, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 21, 1908
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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Shares the results of a spatial analysis of colorectal cancer outcomes in Virginia. Identifies demographic, socioeconomic, and other factors related to healthcare access that impact colorectal cancer disparities. Includes tables and maps sharing rural versus urban data and information.
Author(s): Esther J. Thatcher, Fabian Camacho, Roger T. Anderson, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 21, 1908
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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Mental Health Treatment Among Adults: United States, 2020
Report highlights the rates of mental health treatment provided to adults in 2020. Breaks down the data by type of treatment received and by patient race, gender, and whether they lived in a large metropolitan, medium or small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan community.
Author(s): Emily P. Terlizzi, Tina Norris
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Report highlights the rates of mental health treatment provided to adults in 2020. Breaks down the data by type of treatment received and by patient race, gender, and whether they lived in a large metropolitan, medium or small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan community.
Author(s): Emily P. Terlizzi, Tina Norris
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Partnerships, Mergers, and Acquisitions Can Provide Benefits to Certain Hospitals and Communities
Discusses challenges hospitals may face to increasing the scale of operations. Describes how partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions can help prevent hospital closure and preserve access, enhance patient care, and reduce costs. Includes examples of how four acquired hospitals in rural communities benefited from capital investments and improvements.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discusses challenges hospitals may face to increasing the scale of operations. Describes how partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions can help prevent hospital closure and preserve access, enhance patient care, and reduce costs. Includes examples of how four acquired hospitals in rural communities benefited from capital investments and improvements.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Transforming State Behavioral Health Systems: Findings from States on the Impact of CCBHC Implementation
Reports information from surveys and interviews with state Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) program directors from the 8 original demonstration states, including Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. Shares how the CCBHC program helped states address mental health and substance use issues in their communities by lowering costs, improving outcomes, building healthcare system capacity for mental health and substance use, and increasing the infrastructure to meet the rising need of care. Includes specific examples of how the CCBHC program improved access to urgent recovery centers, crisis centers, and telehealth services in rural communities.
Author(s): Rachael Matulis, Dorn Schuffman, Rebecca Farley David, Samantha Holcombe
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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Reports information from surveys and interviews with state Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) program directors from the 8 original demonstration states, including Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. Shares how the CCBHC program helped states address mental health and substance use issues in their communities by lowering costs, improving outcomes, building healthcare system capacity for mental health and substance use, and increasing the infrastructure to meet the rising need of care. Includes specific examples of how the CCBHC program improved access to urgent recovery centers, crisis centers, and telehealth services in rural communities.
Author(s): Rachael Matulis, Dorn Schuffman, Rebecca Farley David, Samantha Holcombe
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council for Mental Wellbeing
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COVID-19 and the Rural Health Workforce: Recommendations to Improve Health in Illinois
Provides an overview of the healthcare workforce in rural Illinois and describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen the rural health workforce in the state, improve service delivery, and enhance access to specialty care via telehealth services.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southern Illinois University (SIU) Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy
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Provides an overview of the healthcare workforce in rural Illinois and describes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers policy recommendations to strengthen the rural health workforce in the state, improve service delivery, and enhance access to specialty care via telehealth services.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southern Illinois University (SIU) Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy
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