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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Health Care's Role in Rural Economic Development: How Broadband Can Improve Health Outcomes
Policy brief exploring how lack of broadband infrastructure and adaptation in rural areas limits access to healthcare. Includes recommendations for policies and actions to improve the rural broadband infrastructure and promote telehealth.
Author(s): Jeremy Cannon
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Association Between Broadband Capacity and Telehealth Utilization Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Evaluates the relationship between broadband access and telehealth utilization throughout the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, from January through September 2020, by merging county-level data from 3,107 counties focused on broadband capacity, telehealth utilization by Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries, rural-urban residence, and demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Ambrish A Pandit, Ruchira V Mahashabde, Clare C Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 2023
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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The Rural Behavioral Health Crisis Continuum: Considerations and Emerging State Strategies
Presents examples of state strategies for bolstering the rural behavioral health crisis care continuum at each level of care.
Author(s): Miriam Pearsall, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Rewards and Frustrations of Rural Surgery Practice
Discusses challenges in rural surgery practice, such as demographic trends, workforce shortages, issues with surgical training, rural hospital closures, and economic pressures. Includes a link to video featuring Michael Sarap and Alisha D. Reiss, of the American College of Surgeons.
Author(s): Michael Sarap, Alisha D. Reiss
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document, Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: American College of Surgeons
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Descriptive Study: The Novel "Full Spectrum People-With-Opioid-Use-Disorder Care Model"
Examines the implementation of a comprehensive care delivery model that provides access to harm reduction services for people with opioid use disorder (PWOUD). Analyzes 565 encounters with people utilizing medical and/or behavioral healthcare services in a rural New Mexico county. Provides demographic breakdown of encounters and data on the counties with highest overdose rates, along with discussion on how to provide harm reduction services to hard-to-reach populations.
Author(s): Richard Gadomski, Snehal Bhatt, Jessica Gross, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 20, 47
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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The Development of Accessible and Sustainable Transgender Health Education for Rural-Serving Medical Providers in Appalachia
Presents the results of a project to develop and implement a cultural competency training program for rural-serving medical residents focused on transgender primary healthcare in South Central Appalachia – an area that is medically under-resourced and experiences intersectional discrimination. The Kern Model medical curriculum and data from clinic stakeholders, residents, and transgender community members were utilized in the development of this training program. Highlights the value of virtual training providing increased accessibility for rural clinics.
Author(s): Rebecca Altschuler, Abbey K. Mann
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(2), 7827
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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Innovations in Rural Public Transportation: Data Standards Undergird Equity
Describes how data standards can support mobility as a service to help enable seamless travel and support more equitable access for rural nondrivers. Provides demographic information on rural nondrivers compared to drivers. Explains the roles of data in helping users discover transit services and make transportation-related transactions.
Author(s): Jana Lynott
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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How Community Health Workers Are Impacting Rural Communities
Describes ways in which communities can use funding to build community health worker programs in order to reduce health disparities. Highlights the University of Kansas Medical Center's Local Health Equity Action Teams initiative in 10 counties, 6 of which are rural.
Author(s): Shelby Rowell
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Rural Mental Health's Stressors, Barriers, and Protective Factors: Q&A with Dr. Dawn Morales
An interview with Dawn Morales, Program Chief of the Office of Rural Mental Health Research at the National Institute of Mental Health. Discusses challenges related to rural mental healthcare as well as the importance of cultural competency and protective factors, especially in rural populations such as American Indian and Alaska Native communities and farmers and ranchers.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Telehealth and the Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, with Kathy Wibberly
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Kathy Wibberly, Director of the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on rural access to telehealth services and adjustments patients and providers can anticipate as the PHE comes to an end May 11, 2023.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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