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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Diffusion of Physicians and Access To Primary Care: The Role of Person, Program, and Place
Examines factors which influence physicians' decisions to move into or out of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and analyzes characteristics that may cause counties to gain or lose HPSA designation, using data from 2006, 2011, and 2013. Includes statistics with breakdowns such as change in physician-to-population ratio in urban, rural HPSA, and rural non-HPSA counties from 2010 to 2012, rates of inter-county and inter-state moves among physicians from 2006 to 2013, and characteristics of physicians by category of move.
Author(s): Thomas C. Ricketts
Date: 10/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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A Cross-Sectional Study on Health Differences Between Rural and Non-Rural U.S. Counties Using the County Health Rankings
Examines the rural and urban differences in health and healthcare within the U.S. using data accessed from the 2013 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Vital health factors evaluated include mortality, morbidity, health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors, and the physical environment.
Author(s): Timothy J. Anderson, Daniel M. Saman, Martin S. Lipsky, M. Nawal Lutfiyya
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 15, 441
Date: 10/2015
Type: Document
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Disparities in Patterns of Health Care Travel Among Inpatients Diagnosed With Congestive Heart Failure, Florida, 2011
Investigates the nonclinical factors that motivate patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) to travel greater distances to seek treatment rather than utilize their local hospital service area. Study was based on 2011 individual hospital discharge data and analyzes the odds of local hospitalization and various predictors of travel time including race, ethnicity, payer, severity of the condition, and rural/urban patient location.
Author(s): Peng Jia, Imam M. Xierali
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease,12
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
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Challenges of Rural Cancer Care in the United States
Highlights the impact of rurality affecting the care of rural cancer patients and healthcare providers treating cancer patients. Discussion includes the availability of cancer specialists, limited transportation services, lower socioeconomic status, health insurance coverage, less access to clinical trials, and the shortage of palliative and end-of-life staff and services.
Author(s): Mary Charlton, Jennifer Schlichting, Catherine Chioreso, et al.
Citation: Oncology (Williston Park), 29(9), 633-640
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
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Free Clinics in the Rural Safety Net, 2014
Examines availability and location of free clinics across the U.S. Highlights challenges faced by free clinics, including challenges associated with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Additional links: Key Facts
Author(s): Amy Martin, Grishma Bhavsar, Lauren Workman, Janice C. Probst
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Oral Health Care Access in New Hampshire
Illustrates the current state of oral health care in New Hampshire. Provides discussion on the barriers to accessing oral health care and the availability of dental care providers in the state.
Author(s): Eleanor M. Jaffee, Joan C. Widmer, Lisa I. Speropolous
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Overcoming Obstacles to Health Care: Transportation Models that Work
Describes effective patient-centered transportation models, provides guidance on advancing healthcare access, and addresses transportation barriers among people living in rural areas, children and the elderly, and low-income populations. Identifies recommendations and strategies that may influence state and federal transportation polices.
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Outreach Partners
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Webinar: Serving Transgender Survivors of Sexual and Domestic Violence Webinar
Webinar produced for the Nebraska Coalition discussing transgender and gender-nonconforming vocabulary, cultural competency, and rates of sexual violence and domestic violence. Describes the role of human service and healthcare providers in increasing access to care, including rural service delivery and particular issues facing rural trans populations. Presents statistical data on transgender demographics and rates of violence.
Date: 08/2015
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: FORGE
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Hawaii Oral Health: Key Findings
Reports on access to oral health care in Hawaii and describes the state's oral health status. Includes county-level breakdowns of data and discusses key findings, such as the impact of Medicaid on oral health access.
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Hawaii State Department of Health
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Decreased Cancer Mortality-to-Incidence Ratios with Increased Accessibility of Federally Qualified Health Centers
Explores associations between access, for example one or more facilities, to Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and cancer mortality-to-incidence ratios in every county in the United States using 2006-2010 data from the National Cancer Institute State Cancer Profile. Examines breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancer. Data is broken down by cancer type, rural versus urban, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation, and race.
Author(s): Swann Arp Adams, Seul Ki Choi, Leepao Khang, et al.
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 40(4), 633-641
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
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