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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Increasing Vaccine Confidence in Rural Communities of South-Central Kentucky
Provides educational resources, data, and advice for community leaders and healthcare professionals to promote vaccine confidence in rural south-central Kentucky. The included toolkit provides in-depth discussion of rural attitudes toward vaccination, strategies for effective communication, and information on rural vaccination disparities.
Additional links: Getting to "YES" for Routine Vaccines: A Toolkit to Increase Vaccine Confidence for Rural Communities in Kentucky
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Lung Association
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Evolving the Landscape: Texas State Hospitals Long-Range Planning Report
Reports on the current status of Texas state hospitals, identifies factors affecting future demand for services, and describes strategies to maximize state hospital use, efficiency, and effectiveness. See PDF pages 21-23 for discussion of rural access to mental health services and rural mental health workforce shortages.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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The Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in the United States: Patterns and Barriers to Care
Provides an overview of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including related adverse health outcomes, risk factors, and prevention and treatment options. Discusses disparities in CVD burden, barriers patients may face in accessing care, and the economic costs of insufficient CVD prevention and treatment. Presents an analysis of 2019 data on the prevalence of CVD, risk factors, complications, and healthcare utilization and spending among fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries by sex, age, race/ethnicity, Medicaid enrollment, and rural/urban residence. Highlights U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiatives to address CVD.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Changes in Substance Use Diagnoses in the Great Plains during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Analyzed 109,671 patient visits for alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder, or stimulant use disorder in 7 Great Plains states between March 2019 and March 2021 to report on demographic and geographic pattern disruptions in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes discussion of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan residency on data and policy implications regarding access to care.
Author(s): Ahmed Nahian, Lisa M. McFadden
Citation: Healthcare, 12(16)
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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How Narrow or Broad are ACA Marketplace Physician Networks?
Examines physician networks and participation in Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) and how network size impacts costs and access for patients. Utilizes 2021 physician workforce and provider network data to analyze patient access to physicians in their network, distribution of Marketplace enrollees and plans, availability of specialists, share of physicians included in enrollees' provider networks by rural versus urban location, and more.
Author(s): Matthew Rae, Karen Pollitz, Kaye Pestaina, et al.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Surgeon and Care Team Network Measures and Timely Breast Cancer Treatment
Presents a study exploring patient-sharing network characteristics associated with delays in treatment for breast cancer patients. Discusses factors that affect surgeon and care team patient-sharing networks that can lead to delays in surgeries and post-surgical treatments. Highlights the role rurality plays in the structure and delays within patient-sharing networks.
Author(s): Ramsey Ash, Bruno T. Scodari, Andrew P. Schaefer, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(8), e2427451
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Empowering Education and Support for Breastfeeding People Living in Rural Communities
Presents a scenario which demonstrates common challenges and barriers to support for breastfeeding people in rural communities. Discusses no-cost services which support mental health and provide evidence-based information on vaccination and medication for breastfeeding people.
Author(s): Angela Messer
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: MotherToBaby
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Prioritizing Actions to Improve HPV Vaccination with Rural U.S. Communities
Poster describing the actions of the St. Jude HPV Cancer Prevention Program to address low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in rural communities. Details priority actions emerging from discussions of 24 subject matter experts, provides data on program engagement, and discusses next steps.
Author(s): Cristóbal Valdebenito, Duha Magzoub, Julia Brown, et al.
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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Use of Telehealth to Improve Healthcare Access and Outcomes in Surgical Oncology
Explores the role of telehealth in improving healthcare access and outcomes in surgical oncology. Discusses geographic barriers to surgical oncology interventions how telehealth can help mitigate barriers to access. Highlights strategies to improve telehealth access and adoption.
Author(s): Elliot A. Asare, Lauren Cowan, Tracy Onega
Citation: Journal of Surgical Oncology
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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A Qualitative Study Identifying Implementation Strategies Using the i-PARIHS Framework to Increase Access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis at Federally Qualified Health Centers in Mississippi
Examines barriers and facilitators of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in Mississippi, utilizing interview data from 19 FQHC staff and 17 PrEP-eligible patients. Identifies implementation strategies to increase PrEP use and improve HIV prevention. Includes discussion of rural-specific factors influencing access.
Author(s): Trisha Arnold, Laura Whiteley, Kayla K. Giorlando, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 5, 92
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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