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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Availability, Characteristics, and Role of Detoxification Services in Rural Areas
Reports on rural detoxification (detox) providers, including their characteristics, access issues, and geographic distribution. Based on data from a national inventory of facilities providing substance abuse treatment services.
Additional links: Policy Brief: Few and Far Away: Detoxification Services in Rural Areas
Author(s): Jennifer D. Lenardson, Melanie M. Race, John A. Gale
Date: 12/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Health Care Expenditures for Urban and Rural Veterans in Veterans Health Administration Care
Details a study on the difference in healthcare expenditures for rural and urban veterans by the Veterans Health Administration. Compares expenditures of rural and urban veterans using VA Care, those not using VA Care, and nonveterans.
Author(s): Alan N West, William B Weeks
Citation: Health Service Research, 44(5p1), 1718-1734
Date: 10/2009
Type: Document
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Workforce Challenges in Delivering Health Care to Elderly and Low-Income Populations in Wyoming: Medical Providers' Acceptance of Medicaid and Medicare Patients
Examines medical professionals in urban and rural Wyoming providing care to Medicaid and Medicare enrollees, and factors associated with provider acceptance of new patients. Includes policy considerations to inform state-level policy and program implementation for low-income and elderly populations.
Author(s): Davis G. Patterson, Susan M. Skillman, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Mark P. Doescher
Date: 09/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Community Health Center and Rural Health Clinic Presence Associated with Lower County-Level Hospitalization Rates for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions
Looks at the contribution that Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) make to healthcare access. Examines the impact of FQHC and RHC presence on hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions using data from eight states.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, James N. Laditka, Sarah B. Laditka
Date: 08/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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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
Type: Document
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
Type: Document
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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
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Loss of Community Pharmacies Since 2006: State Experiences
Reports on the number of rural communities that no longer have a pharmacy and the number of rural communities that now only have one retail pharmacy by state. Highlights how policies and telepharmacy could help.
Author(s): Liyan Xu, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 04/2009
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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