Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

A Healthy Attitude: Rural Leaders in TN County Organize to Address Well-Being in Appalachia
Describes ways in which local leaders in Grundy County, Tennessee implemented programs to promote physical activity, support children and families, increase access to philanthropic resources, and establish a working relationship with a nearby university.
Author(s): Tim Marema, Erin Bouldin
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 2(1), 60-64
Date: 2020
Type: Document
view details
Birth Settings in America: Outcomes, Quality, Access, and Choice
Examines factors that influence maternal and newborn care in the United States, including social determinants such as geographic variability in access to birth settings. Explores challenges faced by women in rural and underserved areas. Includes statistics on infant mortality rates in 2014 with breakdowns by rural or urban locations, and county-level maps showing access to providers and hospitals offering obstetric services.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Children, Youth, and Families
Date: 2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
view details
The VA MISSION Act of 2018: A Potential Game Changer for Rural GME Expansion and Veteran Health Care
Describes features of the VA Maintaining Internal Systems and Strengthening Integrated Outside Networks (MISSION) Act of 2018, including expansion of graduate medical education (GME) to rural areas, modernization of facilities, and financial aid for providers willing to accept VA assignments in shortage areas. Explores ways in which the MISSION Act can promote more effective and efficient care programs for veterans in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Anthony P. Albanese, Edward T. Bope, Karen M. Sanders, Marjorie Bowman
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(1), 133-136
Date: 2020
Type: Document
view details
Bringing Palliative Care To Underserved Rural Communities
Discusses challenges and strategies related to providing palliative care to rural, predominantly Black communities in the South. Focuses on bridging cultural divides and integrating patient spirituality into the healthcare process.
Author(s): Charlotte Huff
Citation: Health Affairs, 38(12)
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
view details
Importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in Rural America
Article examining the impact of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on rural communities, addressing rural-specific needs, challenges, and considerations related to program implementation. Describes rural health disparities and food access issues in rural areas, and the potential effects of changes to SNAP on rural participants.
Author(s): Lisa Harnack, Sruthi Valluri, Simone A. French
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 109(12), 1641-1645
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
view details
The Landscape of Obstetric Resources and Risks in Indiana: A Framework for Informing Policy
Provides insight on access to obstetric care resources and infant or maternal health risk factors in Indiana communities. Presents a framework that can be used for targeting state and health system policy and planning by analyzing resources, such as obstetric providers and hospitals with obstetric services, and health risks. Includes a county-level map with breakdowns showing 4 levels of access to obstetric care services, 3 levels of maternal or infant health risks, and shadings to indicate rural counties.
Author(s): Hannah Maxey, Courtney Randolph, Sierra Vaughn
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
view details
Washington's Behavioral Health Workforce: Barriers and Solutions - Phase I Report and Recommendations
Report details the barriers affecting the Washington State's behavioral health workforce and discusses potential policy solutions to address them. Includes recommendations based on current levels of workforce and access to care, as well as reciprocity agreements, among other barriers to address throughout the state.
Author(s): Julia G. O'Connor, Nova E. Gattman, Liz Coleman, et al.
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies, Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
view details
Mortality-to-Incidence Ratios by U.S. Congressional District: Implications for Epidemiologic, Dissemination and Implementation Research, and Public Health Policy
Analyzes congressional district-specific mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIR) between 2011 and 2015 for all cancers and for cancers of breast, cervix, colorectal, esophagus, lung, oral, pancreas, and prostate cancers. Compares MIRs across regions, state Medicaid expansion status, race, and rurality. Discusses implications for policymakers and researchers.
Author(s): Jan M. Eberth, Whitney E. Zahnd, Swann Arp Adams, et al.
Citation: Preventative Medicine, 129(S), 105849
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
view details
Access to Specialty Healthcare in Urban Versus Rural US Populations: A Systematic Literature Review
Surveys research between January 2013 – August 2018 on healthcare access, seeking clear definition and understanding of barriers to specialty care. Draws data from 67 peer-reviewed articles, presenting a conceptual framework based on common themes. Discusses issues of availability, perception, policy, stigma, and other access factors.
Author(s): Melissa E. Cyr, Anna G. Etchin, Barbara J. Guthrie, James C. Benneyan
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 19, 974
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
view details
Study Protocol of Coaching End-of-Life Palliative Care for Advanced Heart Failure Patients and Their Family Caregivers in Rural Appalachia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Describes a clinical trial to study an end-of-life palliative care program for heart failure patients in rural West Virginia. Discusses the prevalence of heart failure in rural Appalachia and the need for palliative care training for family caregivers.
Author(s): Ubolrat Piamjariyakul, Trisha Petitte, Angel Smothers, et al.
Citation: BMC Palliative Care, 18, 119
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
view details