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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: COVID-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Job Losses Hit Rural Areas Still Recovering From Great Recession
Reports on unemployment rates during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2021 by race and rural versus urban designation.
Author(s): Austin Sanders
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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After Two Years of Covid, Economic and Health Woes Persist in Diverse North Carolina Counties
Compares urban Mecklenburg County with rural Anson County and the differing impacts of COVID-19 on the areas. Discusses income, employment, housing, residential segregation, and the availability of hospital beds for COVID-19 treatment in the North Carolina counties.
Author(s): Ari Pinkus, Dante Chinni
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Communities Project
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COVID-19 and Hospital Financial Viability in the US
Results of a study comparing operating and profit margins from 2016-2019 at 2,163 hospitals across the country to margins during the first year of the pandemic. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas.
Author(s): Yang Wang, Ge Bai, Gerard Anderson
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 3(5)
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
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Labor Force Participation Decreased Less in Rural Areas Than in Urban Areas at the Onset of COVID-19 Pandemic
Chart showing U.S. labor force participation in 2007, 2019, 2020, and 2021, with breakdowns by urban and rural location and by age groups 16-24, 25-64, and 65 and older.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Strategies for Rural Health Leaders' Success in a Post-COVID-19 World
Playbook for rural hospital leaders to approach COVID-19 response, vaccination, and related public health efforts. Discusses strategies for countering misinformation through partnerships with community institutions, conducting assessments of community vaccination needs, and communications and engagement. Features case studies of hospitals serving rural communities, and offers links to other tools and resources.
Additional links: Webinar: Rural Health Leaders on Strategies for Pandemic and Beyond
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People with Disabilities: Research Findings
Summarizes findings from research funded by the Administration for Community Living's National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) on the experiences of people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights research on rural communities and telehealth.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Community Living
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COVID-19 Testing Hits the Road in West Virginia
Examines a RADx Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) project bringing mobile COVID-19 testing to hard-to-reach communities in West Virginia. Describes strategies to reach communities of color and ways to establish partnerships with state and local organizations.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institutes of Health
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Public Health's Role in Telehealth
A podcast that discusses how telehealth became more accessible during COVID-19 and how this may impact public healthcare delivery long-term. Focuses on how the future of telehealth impacts under-resourced communities, including rural.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Mental Health Service Use, Suicide Behavior, and Emergency Department Visits Among Rural US Veterans Who Received Video-Enabled Tablets During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study to examine whether a United States Veterans Affairs initiative to distribute video-enabled tablets during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mental healthcare access, suicide behavior, or emergency department (ED) visits among rural veterans. Features demographics and statistics on mental health services use and ED visits, with breakdowns by tablet recipients and nonrecipients.
Author(s): Kritee Gujral, James Van Campen, Josephine Jacobs, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(4)
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
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The Provider Relief Fund: Frequently Asked Questions
Provides an overview of the Provider Relief Fund (PRF), which was established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to reimburse eligible health care providers for increased expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19. Offers answers to frequently asked questions regarding how funds have been allocated and provider reporting requirements. Includes information on the relationship between the PRF and funding appropriated through the American Rescue Plan Act for rural providers.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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