Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Consolidation and Corporate Ownership in Health Care: Trends and Impacts on Access, Quality, and Costs
Recording of a June 8, 2023, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing on healthcare consolidation and its impacts on healthcare access and finances. Testimony from the American Academy of Family Physicians discusses the impact of consolidation on rural primary care providers.
Additional links: R. Shawn Martin, American Academy of Family Physicians - Testimony
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Finance
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Diabetes Prevalence and Monitoring in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Areas Within a Commercially Insured U.S. Population
Explores the prevalence of diabetes in metro and nonmetro areas. Draws data from commercial insurance enrollees and compares rates of diabetes testing and outcomes by rurality.
Author(s): Lindsey R. Hammerslag, Jeffery Talbert
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Training the Primary Care Workforce to Deliver Team-Based Care in Underserved Areas: The Teaching Health Center Program
Provides an overview of the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) program. Describes the THCGME program's outcomes in training primary care medical and dental providers, the practice settings of THCGME family medicine graduates, and services provided by program graduates. Profiles four THCGME programs, including three programs that serve tribal or rural areas. Discusses challenges facing Teaching Health Centers, proposed solutions, and key takeaways and recommendations for policymakers.
Author(s): Emily Hawes, Jacob Rains, Candice Chen, Erin Fraher
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Understanding and Overcoming Barriers to Rural Training in Family Medicine Obstetrics Fellowships
Highlights a study on access to rural-focused family medicine obstetrics (FM OB) fellowships for family medicine residency graduates. Explores the availability of rural-specific FM OB fellowships and the challenges programs face in providing rurally-oriented training to family medicine physicians. Breaks down data by fellowship type, training curriculum, and rurality of location, among other measures.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers and Facilitators to Drug Treatment Services among People Who Inject Drugs in West Virginia
Examines the ability of people who inject drugs (PWID) to access treatment options in rural West Virginia. Analyzes 2018 interviews with PWID regarding barriers and facilitators to treatment, such as dismissal from treatment services, need for comprehensive services and financial support, withdrawal symptoms, medications for opioid use disorder, and more.
Author(s): Abigail K. Winiker, Kristin E. Schneider, Rebecca Hamilton White, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 20, 69
Date: 06/2023
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Rural Healthy People 2030: New Decade, New Challenges
Examines survey of 1,475 rural stakeholders about their priorities from the Healthy People 2030 initiative to develop Rural Healthy People 2030. Data include tables ranking responses including mental health, healthcare access, substance misuse, economic stability, and more. Discusses how priorities have shifted from Rural Healthy People 2010 and Rural Healthy People 2020.
Author(s): Timothy Callaghan, Morgan Kassabian, Natasha Johnson, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 33(2023), 1-6
Date: 06/2023
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Rural/Urban Differences in Access to Paid Sick Leave Among Full-Time Workers
Features a study on the accessibility of paid sick leave for full-time workers in rural and urban areas. Discusses the negative health outcomes of lacking paid sick leave. Highlights correlative factors, such as educational attainment, age, race, and chronic conditions, among others.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Janette Dill, Arianne Baldomero, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(3), 676-685
Date: 06/2023
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A Possible Strategy to Increase HPV Vaccination Rates among Young Adults in Rural Areas: Partnering with Universities
Discusses challenges and opportunities for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among young adults attending colleges and universities. Describes the value of partnerships with rural universities to promote catch-up HPV vaccination and reduce geographic disparities.
Author(s): Min Jee Lee
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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Policy Recommendations for Improving Rural Cancer Services in the United States
Discusses cancer healthcare access for rural residents and factors in access challenges. Discusses rural physician recruitment, facility closures, reimbursement, data gathering, and graduate medical education. Offers policy recommendations for incentivizing and increasing the rural cancer care workforce as well as gathering cancer-related data.
Author(s): Adrienne B. Lent, Daniel Derksen, Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Leila Barraza, Elizabeth A. Calhoun
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 19(5), 288-294
Date: 05/2023
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Improving Access to Risk Appropriate Care and Maternal Health Outcomes through Provider Engagement
A podcast episode that discusses maternal mortality rates in the United States and strategies to improve access to and quality of maternal healthcare. Includes examples of how to engage providers in efforts to improve maternal healthcare equity in underserved and rural communities.
Author(s): Robert Johnson, Eugene C. Toy, Lily Lou
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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