Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Engaging Rural Communities to Incorporate Social Determinants in Developing Strategies to Improve Access to Health Care in the Missouri Bootheel Counties
Presents a study on how social determinants of health affect healthcare access in several rural counties in Missouri. Discusses the perceived barriers to care in the rural "Bootheel" counties, such as economic issues, lack of health insurance coverage, and lack of coordinated care, among others.
Author(s): Ashish Shrestha, Katherine Stamatakis, Janice Ballard
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23, 7678
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Unmet Needs for Help with Mobility Limitations among Older Adults Aging in Place: The Role of Rurality
Examines unmet mobility needs related to issues of access and appropriate housing in elderly populations. Analyzes data from 3,343 respondents of the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) by age, gender, race, education, income, and housing status/characteristics. Includes differences in health characteristics, fall history, and unmet needs with data broken down by rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Megan Lahr, John Mulcahy, Hannah MacDougall
Citation: Journal of Aging and Health, 35(9)
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Distance and Transportation Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening in a Rural Community
Discusses barriers, facilitators, and intervention needs related to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening at the system, provider, and patient levels. Reports on 40 interviews conducted with clinical practitioners and staff in rural Southern Illinois from 2017 to 2018 about assisting patients with navigating barriers. Focuses on issues of transportation, distance, and access in rural areas.
Author(s): Katharine M. N. Lee, Jean Hunleth, Liz Rolf, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 14
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Mental Health in Rural New York: Findings and Implications of a Listening Tour with Residents and Professionals
Findings from the Rural Mental Health Listening Tour of New York State, conducted between March 2020 and September 2021 to elicit input and experiences of community members living and working in rural areas. Presents strengths and assets of rural communities, and highlights model programs and success stories. Includes recommendations in categories including access to transportation and broadband, access to mental health programs, availability of services, improving and sustaining workforce capacity, and offers state- and county-specific recommendations.
Author(s): Brett Harris, Katie Gallant, Abby Mariani
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
view details
The Health Equity & Access for Rural Dually Eligible Individuals (HEARD) Toolkit: Raising Rural Voices from New Mexico, North Dakota, and Tennessee to Create Action
Provides an overview on the access barriers and health disparities of Medicaid and Medicare dually eligible individuals residing in rural areas. Presents research and stakeholder feedback from New Mexico, North Dakota, and Tennessee to provide information to policymakers. Discusses topics such as community planning related to equity and infrastructure, workforce capacity and community health workers (CHWs), and social determinants of health.
Author(s): Ellen Breslin, Samantha Di Paola, Susan McGeehan, Rebecca Kellenberg, Andrea Maresca
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Management Associates
view details
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Nebraska's Eligibility Decision
Details the benefits and eligibility requirements of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Offers statistics and demographics on households participating in Nebraska's SNAP. Highlights the effect inflation and the higher cost of food has on low-income populations. Makes recommendations for policymakers to consider when evaluating eligibility limits that affect the availability of food and safeguard against hunger for low-income households.
Author(s): Derrik Conard
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Affairs
view details
Examining Rural Telehealth During the Public Health Emergency
Examines the use of telehealth visits for rural and urban fee-for-service Medicare enrollees between January 2018 and June 2021. Compares telehealth utilization before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2019) with telehealth utilization from January 2020 to June 2021. Describes the demographic, geographical, and technological characteristics of telehealth services that were associated with increased telehealth use. Explores the extent to which the increased implementation and utilization of telehealth during the PHE impacted the cost of patient care and provider utilization.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS Alliance to Modernize Healthcare
view details
Travel Times to Facilities Offering Oral Medication Therapy for COVID-19
Results of a study exploring accessibility of oral COVID-19 therapeutics across the United States, by examining travel times to places where these medications are available. Features a county-level map with shadings showing ranges of travel time by census tract.
Author(s): Peter A. Kahn, Xiaohan Ying, Walter S. Mathis
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1)
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Telerehabilitation Has Potential, but More Research, Funding, and Advocacy Are Needed
Reviews existing evidence on the use of telerehabilitation in the delivery of rehabilitation services, including physical therapy. Identifies barriers to the effective implementation of telerehabilitation and suggests potential areas that professional advocacy and policy can address to improve access to telerehabilitation services.
Author(s): Elizabeth Cornforth
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details
Spatial Analysis of Access to Psychiatrists for US Military Personnel and Their Families
Examines the location and capacity of psychiatrists within a 30-minute driving time of TRICARE beneficiaries. Explores how geographic access to psychiatrists affects veteran TRICARE beneficiaries in rural and low-income communities. Breaks down community data by region, rural or urban status, and economic makeup, among other measures.
Author(s): Marigee Bacolod, Jennifer Heissel, Yu-Chu Shen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2249314
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
view details