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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Health, United States, 2015: With Special Feature on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
Presents an annual overview of national trends in health statistics. Covers health status and determinants, healthcare utilization, access, and expenditures. Includes data on rural areas - see index under "Metropolitan/nonmetropolitan data." Includes a special section on racial and ethnic health disparities, covering health status, health behaviors, and healthcare access and utilization.
Date: 06/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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The Impact of Teach-Back as a Patient Education Tool in Women with Inadequate Maternal Health Literacy Seeking Immunizations for their Children
Describes a study of two groups of women in a rural, public health setting receiving patient education information where one group received information through the teach-back method and the other group did not. The goal of the study was to determine which method was effective in improving patient education knowledge scores.
Author(s): Barbara Jared
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: East Tennessee State University School of Graduate Studies
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Preparing Physicians for Rural-Based Primary Care Practice: A Preliminary Evaluation of Rural Training Initiatives at OSU-COM
Case study discussing a rural physician training program created by the Oklahoma State University Health Sciences Center College of Osteopathic Medicine (OSU-COM) in 2011 to address primary care physician shortages and rural healthcare access issues in Oklahoma. Describes the program's methodology, curriculum, and academic performance outcomes. Offers data on student demographics, GPA comparison of program participants to other OSU-COM medical students, and maps depicting residency and clinical training sites across Oklahoma.
Author(s): Denna L. Wheeler and Jeffrey B. Hackler
Citation: The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 117, 315-324
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
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Rural and Urban/Suburban Families' Use of a Web-Based Mental Health Intervention
Analyzes data from a web-based mental health intervention program serving adolescents and caregivers in disaster-affected areas of Missouri and Alabama, comparing rural and urban/suburban rates of accessing and completing web-based mental healthcare modules. Describes historic disparities in mental healthcare among rural communities, noting changes to access and engagement due to increased internet technology use among rural youth and adults. Discusses the potential of web-based healthcare interventions, including telehealth, to expand mental health services in rural areas.
Author(s): Brian Bunnell, Tatiana Davidson, Daniel Dewey, Matthew Price, Kenneth J. Ruggiero
Citation: Telemedicine Journal and E-Health, 23(5), 390-396
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
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Traumatic Brain Injury in Idaho: Needs and Resources Assessment Final Report
Analyzes Idaho's statewide needs assessment based on the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Reauthorization Act of 2014 and the Traumatic Brain Injury State Implementation Grant Program. Discusses the unmet needs and services of rural residents affected by TBI, and offers recommendations for the development of an action plan to improve access and reduce barriers to TBI services for children and adults.
Author(s): Russell Spearman, Anne Jacobs, Stephanie Wit
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Idaho State University Institute of Rural Health
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Evidence Roadmap: Telehealth and Health Care Access for Rural Populations
Lists systematic reviews, research studies, grey literature, and ongoing research related to telehealth and rural healthcare access.
Date: 05/2017
Type: Literature Search
Sponsoring organization: AcademyHealth
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Rural Promising Practice Issue Brief: IMPROVE: Integrated Management and Polypharmacy Review of Vulnerable Elders
Highlights a model for delivering integrated care management for older rural veterans with co-occurring chronic diseases. Presents methods for rural providers to help patients manage their prescriptions and avoid polypharmacy.
Additional links: Overview
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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The Continuum of HIV Care in Rural Communities in the United States and Canada: What Is Known and Future Research Directions
Describes the increased prevalence of HIV in rural areas and examines socioeconomic factors, cultural context, and the rural-urban differences in availability of treatment.
Author(s): Katherine R. Schafer, Helmut Albrecht, Rebecca Dillingham, et al.
Citation: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 75(1), 35-44
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
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Prevalence of and Interventions to Reduce Health Disparities in Vulnerable Veteran Populations: A Map of the Evidence
Identifies studies that examine disparities in utilization, quality of healthcare, or health of veterans, those that evaluate interventions that mitigate disparities in the Veterans Health Administration, and those examining health disparities. Features statistics on topics including health disparities according to rural residence or distance from a VHA Medical Center.
Author(s): Karli Kondo, Allison Low, Teresa Everson, et al.
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Services Research & Development Service
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Access to Dental Care Remains a Challenge for Millions of Michiganders
Report reevaluates a study on oral healthcare access in Michigan. Breaks down key takeaways from the study, such as rates of Medicaid enrolled dentists, access for low-income populations, and dentist distribution.
Date: 05/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pew Charitable Trusts
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