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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health

Loneliness and Social Isolation Are Common in Rural America. Is "Social Infrastructure" the Solution?
Discusses structural factors that contribute to social isolation in rural areas. Features programs in Minnesota, Nebraska, and Alaska that are finding ways to build connection into rural communities.
Author(s): Brendan Stermer
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Playbook for Enhancing Indiana's Mental and Behavioral Health Workforce
Provides an overview of strategies to improve the mental and behavioral health workforce in Indiana, with a focus on the health workforce pipeline, school-based behavioral health workforce, clinical training, and the alignment of education, policy, and practice. Includes county-level maps that depict workforce strength, location of behavioral health training programs, and Area Health Education Center (AHEC) regions. Includes data on behavioral health issues in Indiana as well as references to successful programs in other U.S. states.
Author(s): H.L. Maxey, M.M. Tobin
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy, Indiana University School of Medicine
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Risk Factors for Poor Health Among U.S. Older Adults in Rural and Urban Areas: Injury, Food Insecurity, and Lack of Social and Emotional Support
Examines differences in select risk factors for poor health between rural and urban older adults and among rural older adults, with breakdowns by several sociodemographic characteristics. Features statistics including percentage of older adults experiencing risk factors for poor health, injury and significant injury, food insecurity, and lack of social and emotional support.
Author(s): Ingrid Jacobson, Alexis Swendener, Megan Lahr, Alyssa Fritz, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Facilitators and Barriers to Adopting or Expanding Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Provision in Rural Colorado Jails: a Qualitative Analysis
Reports findings of interviews with representatives of 7 rural Colorado jails on facilitators and barriers of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) adoption and expansion. Discusses factors including attitudes toward MOUD, collaborative partnerships, physical space, distance to services, provider availability, staff, and more.
Author(s): Heidi L. McNeely, Terri L. Schreiber, William L. Swann, Claudia R. Amura
Citation: Health and Justice, 12, 26
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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Veterans Health Care: Opportunities Exist to Improve Assessment of Network Adequacy for Mental Health
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Care Networks (CCN) program and how the VA and contractors develop and maintain mental health provider networks. Describes how the VA assesses the adequacy of the CCN mental health provider networks. Examines the extent to which the VA collects information on the factors that contribute to scheduling timeliness challenges for community care appointments, including for mental health appointments. Presents data on the percentage of CCN mental health claims that were within drive-time and appointment-availability standards between April 2022 and March 2023 by CCN region, rurality, and care setting.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Rural and Urban Differences in Disparities in Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sexual Minority Populations
Examines substance use (SU), substance use disorders (SUD), and SUD treatment in heterosexual and sexual minority populations. Analyzes 2015 to 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data with information broken down by demographics, SU, and large metro, small metro, or nonmetro location.
Author(s): Christina Dyar, Ethan Morgan
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 542-556
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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Exploring Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Youths' E-Cigarette Resistance Strategies: Implications for Tobacco Product Use Prevention
Examines strategies to resist e-cigarette use and vaping among predominantly Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) youth attending elementary, middle/intermediate, and multi-level schools in low-income, rural communities on the Island of Hawaii. Provides results of interviews with 69 youths, detailing strategies including overt refusal, explanation, avoidance, leaving, and more.
Author(s): Scott K Okamoto, Andrew M Subica, Katlyn J an, et al.
Citation: Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 35(2), 692-706
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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North Carolina Mental Health - Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA)
County-level map of Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, with shadings showing ranges of HPSA scores.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Health of Women of U3 Populations Data Book 2024
Reports on the health of women in understudied, underrepresented, and underreported (U3) populations. Discusses social determinants of health, mortality, various health conditions, mental health, substance use, violence, and more. Discusses rural throughout including a review of rural data sources in Chapter 3.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institutes of Health
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Disasters and Impacts in Appalachian Kentucky: A Behavioral Health Analysis
Reports on disasters in 8 rural southeast Kentucky counties in 2021-2022, the changing nature of the disasters, and the behavioral health impact on the residents affected. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by disaster type and impact.
Author(s): Walter David Mathews, Joseph M. Clark, Amy S. Potts
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(1), 132–147
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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