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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Access To Obstetric Services In Rural Counties Still Declining, With 9 Percent Losing Services, 2004-14
Results of a study identifying gaps in the availability of hospital-based obstetric services in rural America, and providing evidence of disparities in local access to obstetric services in vulnerable rural communities. Includes statistics on percentages of rural counties by status of hospital obstetric services from 2004–14, with breakdowns by micropolitan or noncore location, and a county-level map with shadings indicating full closure, continuous services, or no services.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Carrie E. Henning-Smith, Michelle M. Casey, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Health Affairs, 36(9), 1663-1671
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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Utilizing Patient Geographic Information System Data to Plan Telemedicine Service Locations
Describes a model for determining optimal locations for telemedicine service providers by using electronic health record (EHR) data in a geographic information system (GIS). Demonstrates the method for extracting GIS patient data from EHRs using an EHR sample of 4,027 visits to a neurodevelopmental pediatric service provider in 2011-2012. Discusses potential and limitations for using EHR data and GIS mapping to plan for specific telemedicine interventions.
Author(s): Neelkamal Soares, Joseph Dewalle, Ben Marsh
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 24(5), 891-896
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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Variations in Obesity Rates between US Counties: Impacts of Activity Access, Food Environments, and Settlement Patterns
Describes differences in obesity rates among U.S. counties based on rurality, region, poverty level, and ethnicity. Analyzes access to physical activity facilities, food environments, and settlement patterns, defined as residential density and car dependence, to determine potential explanations for geographic variations.
Author(s): Peter Congdon
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(9), 1023
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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Population-Based Geographic Access to Parent and Satellite National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Facilities
Examines geographic access to National Cancer Institute cancer centers with breakdowns by age group, race/ethnicity, education level, income level, and rurality. Discusses differences for rural populations and Native Americans.
Author(s): Tracy Onega, Jennifer Alford-Teaster, Fahui Wang
Citation: Cancer, 123(17), 3305-3311
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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Rural Veterans' Dental Utilization, BRFSS, 2014
Highlight study on the dental utilization rates for rural veterans. Explores whether the rural veterans are more likely to experience negative oral health outcomes, such as missing teeth. Breaks down data by age, race, educational attainment, and rural versus urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): R. Constance Wiener, Chan Shen, Usha Sambamoorthi, Patricia A. Findley
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 77(4), 383-392
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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Health Service Accessibility and Risk in Cervical Cancer Prevention: Comparing Rural Versus Nonrural Residence in New Mexico
Details a study on how geographic accessibility affects rural women's cervical cancer screening rates. Compares rural and urban areas in New Mexico. Breaks down data by travel distance, year, and services provided.
Author(s): Yolanda J. McDonald, Daniel W. Goldberg, Isabel C. Scarinci, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 33(4), 382-392
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
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A Community Holding Hands to Bridge its Divide
Describes the actions taken and programs developed by the residents of Garrett County, Maryland, in response to the economic, cultural, and health challenges they face. Working together, the Garrett County residents have been able to provide scholarships to every high school graduate to attend community college for free, develop 700 affordable, low-income, mixed-income, and workforce housing units, and more. Garrett County is a recipient of the 2017 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Prize.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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A 'Scrappy' Push for Health: 'Our Best Asset Is Our People'
Provides an overview of health challenges in Allen County, Kansas, and actions that communities in the area have taken to address them, including fundraising for a local hospital, building bike and walking trails, establishing job training programs, advocating for improved access to healthy food, and more. Allen County is a recipient of the 2017 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Culture of Health Prize.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Innovations in Rural Health System Development: Federally Qualified Health Center Initiatives
Reports on Maine's Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Discusses strategies for workforce recruitment and retention, serving high-need patient populations, addressing critical community needs, and providing services that address the social determinants of health. Provides various examples of programs from across the state.
Author(s): Sara Kahn-Troster, Amanda Burgess, Andrew Coburn
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Catherine Cutler Institute, Maine Health Access Foundation
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A Toolkit for Legislative Reform: Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Mental Illness in Rural States
Toolkit details methods to improve access to mental health treatment in rural communities through the criminal justice system. Presents options for state policy reform, using South Dakota's mental illness intervention law as a case study.
Author(s): Barbara A. Pierce
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Crime and Justice Institute
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