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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

2020 Transportation Trends
Identifies trends and issues affecting the availability of accessible transportation for older adults and people with disabilities. Includes examples of programs underway in rural areas to address transportation needs.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Rural-Urban Variations in Travel Burdens for Care: Findings from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey
Provides estimates of the distance traveled and time spent on one-way trips for medical and dental care, examines how rural residents' travel behaviors vary by sociodemographic and geographic characteristics, and evaluates factors associated with a high travel burden for medical and dental care among rural residents. Features statistics with breakdowns by time and distance traveled, age, sex, race/ethnicity, household income, and rural or urban residence.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Marvellous Akinlotan, Kristin Primm, Nima Khodakarami, Jane Bolin, Alva O. Ferdinand
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Broadband Task Force: High-Speed Internet is Essential for All Counties
Offers policy recommendations and best practices related to broadband infrastructure, including expansion into rural areas. Discusses broadband technology, community partnerships, and policy considerations. Presents case studies of county-level initiatives and a list of broadband solutions by county in the appendix.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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Collaboration and Flexibility Are Cornerstones of LifePoint Health's Vaccination Efforts
Describes how LifePoint Health, a healthcare organization focused on small, rural, and growing communities in 29 states, is promoting and administering COVID-19 vaccines. Discusses communication and technological strategies as well as community partnerships developed to increase vaccination rates.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Rural Communities at Risk: Widening Health Disparities Present New Challenges in Aftermath of Pandemic
Describes the health status, health disparities, and socioeconomic disparities of vulnerable rural communities. Analyzes the relationship between rural community vulnerability and the stability of the rural health safety net. Includes information on racial health disparities within rural communities.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The Chartis Group
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Access to Affordable Care in Rural America: Current Trends and Key Challenges
Describes geographic and demographic challenges that contribute to healthcare access and health disparities in rural areas. Covers patterns of insurance coverage between rural and urban areas, healthcare provider shortages, and rural hospital vulnerability and closures. Discusses programs and services supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to reduce barriers to care in rural communities, including telehealth, healthcare workforce programs, and Rural Health Clinics and Community Health Centers.
Author(s): Gina Turrini, D.Keith Branham, Lucy Chen, et al.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Association of the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes Project With Use of Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment Among US Adults With Hepatitis C
Results of a study of 267,908 patients to examine the association between Project ECHO and use of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location.
Author(s): Linh Tran, Roger Feldman, Thomas Riley, Jeah Jung
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7)
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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The Arizona Behavioral Health Workforce Report
Reports on the distribution of the behavioral health workforce in Arizona and access to behavioral healthcare, comparing rural and urban areas. Discusses prevalence of mental health disorders and substance misuse disorder and compares workforce data to behavioral health needs for the state. Offers county-level data on total providers by type, ratio of providers per 100,000 residents, and provider percentages by Rural Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): B. Koch, S. Coates, B. Brady, J. Peters, D. Derksen
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Assessing the Effectiveness of Cancer Screening Interventions Targeting Appalachian Populations: A Systematic Review
Presents a review of cancer screening interventions aimed at rural Appalachian communities and measures their efficacy. Explores the design and limitations of each study. Breaks down data by cancer type, intervention type, and recorded outcomes, among other factors.
Author(s): Nicole M. Robertson, Lauren Hudson, Suzanna Labib Attia, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(3), 602–623
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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Strategies for Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Rural Health System in New York State
Describes the challenges of COVID-19 encountered by Bassett Healthcare Network (BHN), a network of 5 hospitals and 24 clinics located in rural upstate New York covering the healthcare needs of 5 counties. Presents four strategies in response to these challenges: expand the capacity of intensive-care; retrain and reposition employees into new roles; adopt a system providing rapid access to care and follow-up; and coordinate communication and decision-making with network administrators, employees, and other healthcare professionals.
Author(s): Jamie A. Aron, Alexander J.B. Bulteel, Kelsey A. Clayman, et al.
Citation: Healthcare, 9(2), 100508
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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