Rural Health
Resources by Topic: COVID-19

Understanding Barriers to COVID-19 Testing Among Rural and Urban Populations in Kansas
Highlights a study on the barriers to COVID-19 testing in rural and urban Kansas. Bases conclusions on the results of a 2021 survey of 2,196 Kansans and highlights reported barriers such as perceived pain of the test, unsure of where to receive testing, and not wanting to test positive, among other factors.
Author(s): Vicki L. Collie-Akers, Elizabeth Ablah, Sarah Landry, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 112(S9), S874-S877
Date: 11/2022
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Physical Activity Among Adults in Rural Western North Carolina During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines physical activity among adults in a rural area of North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes 297 survey responses from August 3, 2020 through September 15, 2020 and reports on demographic characteristics of respondents, type of and reason for physical activity, and perceived barriers and benefits of physical activity.
Author(s): Wade L. Creech, Brooke C. Towner, Rebecca A. Battista
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 11/2022
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Sociodemographic Variation in Early Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccine and Parental Intent and Attitudes Toward Vaccination of Children Aged 6 Months–4 Years — United States, July 1–29, 2022
Reports on COVID-19 vaccination and parental intent to vaccinate children 6 months to 4 years old. Includes data by place of residence for urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Author(s): Tammy A. Santibanez, Tianyi Zhou, Carla L. Black, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(46), 1479-1484
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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COVID-19 Working Paper: Migration, Local Mobility, and the Spread of COVID-19 in Rural America
Examines how movement between and within communities was linked to the initial arrival and spread of COVID-19 infections into and through nonmetropolitan counties. Presents data on the level of migration to and from metropolitan counties and the relative change in work-related mobility for nonmetro counties in 2020 by the level of rurality and county economic type.
Author(s): Peter Nelson, John Cromartie
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Teledentistry Trends in the United States During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reviews the use of teledentistry during and following the COVID-19 pandemic in California, Maine, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, and examines reimbursement issues and supports needed to enhance dental care in a post-COVID-19 world. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Miranda Werts, Prashanta Patel, Elizabeth Mertz
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Oral Health Workforce Research Center
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COVID-19 Death Rates in Urban and Rural Areas: United States, 2020
Examines COVID-19 death rates for rural and urban areas in 2020, with data by six levels of urbanicity. Includes overall death rates as well as rates by sex for all age groups, for those under age 65, and for those 65 and older.
Author(s): Sally C. Curtin, Melonie Heron
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Health Care Personnel — United States, 2021–22
Reports on influenza, primary COVID-19, and COVID-19 booster vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 flu seasons. Includes data by primary workplace location for rural and nonrural areas.
Author(s): Hilda Razzaghi, Anup Srivastav, Marie A. de Perio, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 71(42), 1319-1326
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Home Health Agencies Used Multiple Strategies to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Although Some Challenges Persist
Presents results of a survey of home health agencies (HHAs) conducted between September through December 2021 to explore the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses challenges related to staffing, infection control, the use of telehealth, and the adequacy of emergency preparedness plans, as well as challenges specific to rural HHAs. Provides recommendations for how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help HHAs prepare for and respond to current and future infectious disease outbreaks and changes to the home health care landscape.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Rural Students' Access to the Internet
Provides percentages of students who have access to fixed broadband by city, suburban, town, and rural locale, which is further broken down by fringe, distant, or remote areas. Includes discussions of related broadband issues such as influences of poverty and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Education Statistics
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Suicide and Self-Harm in Youth Presenting to a US Rural Hospital During COVID-19
Presents a study on rural emergency department utilization and hospital admission for suicide or self-harm in children ages 5 to 17 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes hospital data from January 2017 to May 2021. Breaks down data by demographic factors, such as sex and rurality, as well as length of stay and visit type, among other measures.
Author(s): Mary Arakelyan, Jennifer A. Emond, JoAnna K. Leyenaar
Citation: Hospital Pediatrics, 12(10), e336–e342
Date: 10/2022
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