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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Telebehavioral Health: An Effective Alternative to In-Person Care
Issue brief discussing telehealth treatment modalities based on a 2019 review of clinical outcomes related to telebehavioral health. Covers three state-level approaches: the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center Rural Telemental Health Program (VA RTMH), which serves rural Oregon veterans, and Medicaid policies in Texas and Massachusetts. Addresses telebehavioral health policy details, implementation, and considerations for states looking to develop new telebehavioral health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Brittany Lazur, Lily Sobolik, Valerie King
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Rural America's Senior Citizens: Considerations for Transportation, Healthcare Access, Connectedness, Nutrition and Economics
Policy paper providing an overview of rural older adults. Examines the challenges rural older adults face in accessing healthcare. Discusses how transportation, social isolation, nutrition, and economics impact the health outcomes of this population.
Author(s): Tasha Brown, Kay Miller Temple, Josie Rudolphi
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Overview of Rural Child Health
Policy position paper presenting an overview rural child health and factors influencing health disparities in rural children. Highlights disparities in mortality, physical health, preventive health, and oral health. Includes policy recommendations to address these disparities.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Matthew Workman, Kim Mohan
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Rural/Urban Differences in Children's Health
Examines differences in child health conditions by rural and urban residency. Explores differences in mental and behavioral health, weight status and physical activity, adverse childhood experiences, and access to healthcare.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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The Impact of Coronavirus on Households in Rural America
Reports on the experiences of rural households during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses impacts on finances, employment, healthcare, housing, food, and child care. Concerns related to healthcare include access to care during the pandemic, concerns for those with special health issues such as chronic conditions, and use of telehealth.
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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The Unseen Picture: Issues with Health Care, Discrimination, Police and Safety, and Housing Experienced by Native American Populations in Rural America
Report presents a study on the experiences of rural Native American adults related to housing, discrimination, policing, and healthcare access, quality, and affordability. Compares the experiences of rural Native American and rural White adults. Breaks down data by gender, age, and U.S. region, among other measures.
Author(s): Mary T.G. Findling, Robert J. Blendon, John M. Benson, Carolyn Miller
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(1), 180-186
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
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Half of Rural Residents at High Risk of Serious Illness Due to COVID-19, Creating Stress on Rural Hospitals
Highlights a study on the risk of hospitalization due to a serious illness caused by COVID-19 in rural communities. Compares rural areas with metro and micropolitan areas. Makes policy recommendations regarding supply chain and financial assistance policies.
Author(s): Brystana G. Kaufman, Rebecca Whitaker, George Pink, G. Mark Holmes
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(4), 584-590
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
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2020 Public Health Ethics Forum: Ethical Dilemmas in Rural Health
Recorded webinars from the 2020 Public Health Ethics Forum focused on the theme: Ethical Dilemmas in Rural Health. Focuses on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, ethics related to barriers and access to rural healthcare services, physical determinants of health and environmental justice, and achieving health equity in rural areas. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Forum Part 2, Forum Part 3
Date: 09/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Characteristics of US Rural Hospitals by Obstetric Service Availability, 2017
Examines the characteristics of rural hospitals that did not provide obstetric care in 2017. Compares rural hospitals that did and did not have obstetrics services by financial structure, location, and hospital size and emergency department availability and volume. Discusses the public health implications of this analysis.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Julia D. Interrante, Mariana S. Tuttle, Carrie Henning-Smith, Lindsay Admon
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1315-1317
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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Louisiana Primary Care Needs Assessment: Closing the Gap on Healthcare Disparities and Workforce Shortages
Identifies unmet needs and disparities in health outcomes in Louisiana, explores health workforce concerns, and discusses barriers to accessing healthcare. Includes a section on Health Professional Shortage Areas and mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Hayley Alexander, Barrie Black, Nicole Coarsey, Kimberly Brent
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Well-Ahead Louisiana
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