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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Persistent Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and Health Care Access in Rural America
Examines the persistence of primary care Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation among rural counties, and the role of low population, low socioeconomic status, and limited access to healthcare services in perpetuating shortages.
Author(s): Mark P. Doescher, Meredith A. Fordyce, Susan M. Skillman, J. Elizabeth Jackson, Roger A. Rosenblatt
Date: 09/2009
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Health Status and Health Care Access of Farm and Rural Populations
Discusses healthcare access and health status in rural areas. Describes health risks farm families experience due to their work environment.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Carol Adaire Jones, Timothy S. Parker, Mary Ahearn, Ashok K. Mishra, Jayachandran N. Variyam
Date: 08/2009
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural-Urban Differences in Health Care Access Vary Across Measures
Compares rural and urban residents for a number of healthcare access indicators, including: having a usual source of care, difficulty accessing a usual source of care, and use of preventive services. Discusses policy implications.
Author(s): Erika Ziller, Jennifer Lenardson
Date: 06/2009
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Occupational Injury and Treatment Patterns of Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers
Highlights a study based on a survey of migrant and seasonal workers in Maine and New York regarding occupational injuries and treatment locations. Breaks down rate of migrant health center and emergency room utilization, as well as the rate of injuries treated elsewhere and those that went untreated.
Author(s): Melissa A. Brower, Giulia B. Earle-Richardson, John J. May, Paul L. Jenkins
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 14(2), 172-178
Date: 05/2009
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Medicaid: Source of Screening Affects Women's Eligibility for Coverage of Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment in Some States
Examines data on women screened for breast or cervical cancer through the Early Detection Program, how states have implemented the Treatment Act, and related data on Medicaid enrollment and spending. Contains several case studies, including one addressing rural access to early detection programs and treatment resources for breast and cervical cancer.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2009
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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The Key Role of Sole Community Pharmacists in Their Local Healthcare Delivery Systems
Presents findings from a 2008 survey of 401 community pharmacists that are the only retail provider in their community to document their extended relationships with other healthcare providers, as well as the healthcare services they offer.
Author(s): Andrea Radford, Indira Richardson, Michelle Mason, Stephen Rutledge
Date: 03/2009
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Rural Health Care: Innovations in Policy and Practice
Discusses strategies being used to improve healthcare access in rural areas. Includes a section discussing philanthropic activities related to rural health.
Date: 03/2009
Sponsoring organization: Grantmakers in Health
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Closing the Health Gap of Rural Veterans: Discussion of Funding and Resource Coordination
Transcript of a March 19, 2009 hearing. Focused on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' rural health funding, spending, and resource coordination. Explores how resources are used to narrow the health disparity of veterans living in rural areas.
Date: 03/2009
Sponsoring organization: House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Health
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Rural Children Don't Receive the Mental Health Care They Need
Examines rural/urban differences in the use of children's mental health services, focusing on how family income, health insurance coverage, and mental health status affect these differences. Attempts to identify the mental health needs of children ages 6 to 17, the percentage of children with an identified mental health need that utilized a mental health service in the past year, and the role of family income and health insurance in determining the use of mental health services by children.
Author(s): David Lambert, Erika C. Ziller, Jennifer D. Lenardson
Date: 01/2009
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Medicare Beneficiaries' Access to Pharmacy Services in Small Rural Towns: Implications of Contracting Patterns of Sole Community Pharmacies with Part D Plans
Describes pharmacy Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) contract patterns of sole rural pharmacies. Addresses PDP enrollment choices of Medicare Part D enrollees.
Author(s): Victoria A Freeman, Indira Richardson, Rebecca T. Slifkin
Date: 01/2009
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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