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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Participation in Project ECHO to Advance Rural Primary Care Providers' Ability to Address Patient Mental Health Needs
Features a study on the role continuing education programs, such as Project ECHO, can play in aiding rural primary care providers (PCPs) to integrate behavioral healthcare into their practice. Focuses on the Advanced Primary Care (APC ECHO) Adult Psychiatry Module and evaluates its efficacy in facilitating behavioral health integration in to rural PCPs.
Author(s): Ariel Porto, Rosemary Motz, Maximillian Morris, et al.
Citation: Medical Education Online, 28(1), 2164470
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
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Addressing Commercial Tobacco Use in Indigenous Communities Toolkit
Explores public health approaches to addressing commercial tobacco use disparities in Indigenous communities. Discusses community engagement, cultural appropriateness, and other elements of effective communication and program implementation. Features case studies focused on rural youth engagement, access to services in Alaska Native villages, policy development in the Navajo Nation, and more.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Lung Association (ALA)
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Arkansas State Health Assessment (SHA) 2023 Scorecard
Uses data to highlight trends over time for Arkansas residents related to population health and demographics, mortality, chronic illnesses, emerging health issues, and rural health. Rural health data highlights healthcare access and food insecurity trends. See county-level data by selecting a Result header, indicated by a green R icon.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Department of Health
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U.S. Department of Agriculture Equity Action Plan 2023 Update
Offers overview of 7 equity strategies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) including promoting rural prosperity, access to USDA programs, nutrition security, wildfire prevention, increasing access to federal funding, tribal sovereignty, civil rights enforcement, and more. Highlights equity progress updates and accomplishments. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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U.S Department of Health and Human Services Agency Equity Action Plan: 2023 Update
Offers overview of the 5 areas of focus for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for 2023. Areas of focus include child welfare, access to health insurance, maternal health outcomes, behavioral health, and clinical innovations. Includes rural specific actions. Highlights equity progress updates and accomplishments since the 2022 equity action plan.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Oklahoma State Department of Health Annual Report: 2022
Offers review of administrative and outreach activities by the Oklahoma State Department of Health in 2022. Highlights mobile wellness units for rural maternal care.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State Department of Health
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Missouri Office of Rural Health's Biennial Report 2022-2023
Provides an overview of rural health in Missouri. Focuses on health status and factors that impact health. Covers demographics and population characteristics; health status of rural Missourians; maternal, infant, and child health; social determinants of health; and access to care. Includes information on the leading causes of death in the state and compares urban and rural data on these deaths.
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Office of Rural Health and Primary Care
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Addressing the Rising Mental Health Needs of an Aging Population: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summary of a May 2023 workshop discussing mental health care for older adults, including challenges and strategies for meeting mental health needs. Discusses disparities, social determinants of health, access, workforce, interventions and support, rural challenges, and more.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Treating Rural America: The Last Doctor in Town
3 part documentary discussing challenges with accessing healthcare in rural communities. Part 1, "The Last Doctor in Town," highlights shortages of physicians in rural areas. Part 2, "The New Country Doctors," discusses rural residencies and the role of a rural physician. Part 3, "The Telehealth Solution," discusses the role of telehealth as a possible solution for barriers to care. Captions are available in the video player.
Additional links: The New Country Doctors, The Telehealth Solution
Author(s): Hyacinth Empinado
Date: 2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: STAT
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Supporting and Sustaining the Current and Future Workforce to Care for People with Serious Illness: Proceedings of a Workshop (2023)
Summarizes discussions from an April 2023 public workshop exploring strategies and approaches to address major workforce challenges, including health professional well-being, workforce shortages, workforce training and retention, and advancing the diversity, equity, and inclusion of the workforce. Includes a section on well-being of the clinical workforce in rural areas.
Author(s): Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness
Date: 2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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