Rural Health
Resources by Topic: COVID-19
COVID-19 and the Rural Opioid Epidemic: Recommendations to Improve Health in Illinois
Examines the rural opioid epidemic in Illinois and offers policy recommendations to increase access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) centers, engaging populations involved with the criminal justice system, and expanding harm reduction services. Offers data on state opioid fatality rates with rural and urban comparisons and monthly mortality rates based on state Department of Public Health data. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opioid epidemic.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: SIU Medicine Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, SIU Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health
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Examines the rural opioid epidemic in Illinois and offers policy recommendations to increase access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) centers, engaging populations involved with the criminal justice system, and expanding harm reduction services. Offers data on state opioid fatality rates with rural and urban comparisons and monthly mortality rates based on state Department of Public Health data. Discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the opioid epidemic.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: SIU Medicine Center for Rural Health and Social Service Development, SIU Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Southern Illinois University Medicine Department of Population Science and Policy, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health
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Creating the New Normal: COVID-19 Leaves Its Mark on Rural America
Offers articles discussing various impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on affordable rural housing and those organizations working to ensure affordable rural housing. Shares stories describing how federal aid was used to address homelessness and rural residents' housing needs in Wisconsin, how the pandemic has impacted Oregon farmworkers' housing and health, and how flexible U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs have helped rural nonprofits in Washington serve rural communities.
Citation: Rural Voices, 25(1)
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Offers articles discussing various impacts the COVID-19 pandemic has had on affordable rural housing and those organizations working to ensure affordable rural housing. Shares stories describing how federal aid was used to address homelessness and rural residents' housing needs in Wisconsin, how the pandemic has impacted Oregon farmworkers' housing and health, and how flexible U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs have helped rural nonprofits in Washington serve rural communities.
Citation: Rural Voices, 25(1)
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Critical Access Hospitals' Initial Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Use of Federal Funding and Regulatory Flexibilities
Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) used federal relief funding and regulatory waivers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through August 2020. Summarizes results of a survey of CAH executives in eight states. Discusses the sources of federal funding CAHs received and the types of regulatory waivers and flexibilities these CAHs used.
Author(s): Ira Moscovice, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Nathan Bean, Keelia Silvis
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores how Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) used federal relief funding and regulatory waivers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through August 2020. Summarizes results of a survey of CAH executives in eight states. Discusses the sources of federal funding CAHs received and the types of regulatory waivers and flexibilities these CAHs used.
Author(s): Ira Moscovice, Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Nathan Bean, Keelia Silvis
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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COVID-19: HHS Agencies' Planned Reviews of Vaccine Distribution and Communication Efforts Should Include Stakeholder Perspectives
Discusses the perspectives of state and local health officials in four states and 12 national stakeholder organizations regarding federal COVID-19 vaccine distribution and education programs. Examines how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Services and Research Administration (HRSA) plan to evaluate vaccine implementation efforts. Offers recommendations for CDC and HRSA to obtain input from and share lessons learned with key stakeholders. Includes information on the Rural Health Clinic COVID-19 Program and the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Discusses the perspectives of state and local health officials in four states and 12 national stakeholder organizations regarding federal COVID-19 vaccine distribution and education programs. Examines how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Health Services and Research Administration (HRSA) plan to evaluate vaccine implementation efforts. Offers recommendations for CDC and HRSA to obtain input from and share lessons learned with key stakeholders. Includes information on the Rural Health Clinic COVID-19 Program and the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Final Report and Recommendations
Report examining the impacts of COVID-19 on communities of color, tribal communities, rural and remote populations, and underserved communities through a health equity lens, offering proposed actions and outcomes to guide future federal health equity efforts. Highlights community organizations and community-based programs, including rural examples.
Additional links: Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Proposed Implementation Plan and Accountability Framework
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
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Report examining the impacts of COVID-19 on communities of color, tribal communities, rural and remote populations, and underserved communities through a health equity lens, offering proposed actions and outcomes to guide future federal health equity efforts. Highlights community organizations and community-based programs, including rural examples.
Additional links: Presidential COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force Proposed Implementation Plan and Accountability Framework
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health
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Household Experiences in Rural America During the Delta Variant Outbreak
Examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural U.S. households. Covers financial, education, childcare, health and healthcare, and employment and work-related impacts related to the pandemic.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural U.S. households. Covers financial, education, childcare, health and healthcare, and employment and work-related impacts related to the pandemic.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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ICU Mortality in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection: Highlighting Healthcare Disparities in Rural Appalachia
Study examining 30-day COVID-19 mortality among ICU patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome transferred from rural Appalachian hospitals to West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia between September 30, 2020 and December 1, 2020. Examines baseline patient demographics, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes, comparing patients transferred from Critical Access Hospitals and other rural facilities to non-COVID-19 ICU patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Author(s): Sunil Sharma, Varun Badami, Edward Rojas, et al.
Citation: Critical Care Explorations, 3(10), e547
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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Study examining 30-day COVID-19 mortality among ICU patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome transferred from rural Appalachian hospitals to West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia between September 30, 2020 and December 1, 2020. Examines baseline patient demographics, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes, comparing patients transferred from Critical Access Hospitals and other rural facilities to non-COVID-19 ICU patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Author(s): Sunil Sharma, Varun Badami, Edward Rojas, et al.
Citation: Critical Care Explorations, 3(10), e547
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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Changes in the Associations of Race and Rurality with SARS-CoV-2 Infection, Mortality, and Case Fatality in the United States from February 2020 to March 2021: A Population-based Cohort Study
Examines the associations of ethnicity, urban or rural residence, and clinical risk factors on COVID-19 infection and mortality among U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system enrollees between February 2020 and March 2021. Describes how these associations changed during this period.
Author(s): George N. Ioannou, Jacqueline M. Ferguson, Ann M. O'Hare, et al.
Citation: PLoS Medicine, 18(10)
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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Examines the associations of ethnicity, urban or rural residence, and clinical risk factors on COVID-19 infection and mortality among U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health system enrollees between February 2020 and March 2021. Describes how these associations changed during this period.
Author(s): George N. Ioannou, Jacqueline M. Ferguson, Ann M. O'Hare, et al.
Citation: PLoS Medicine, 18(10)
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
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The Impact of COVID-19 on People with Disabilities
Examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with disabilities. Covers access to healthcare and direct care workers, congregate care settings and transition, education, employment, effective communication, and mental health and suicide prevention services. Identifies challenges to rural residents throughout, including access to broadband in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to federal and state policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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Examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with disabilities. Covers access to healthcare and direct care workers, congregate care settings and transition, education, employment, effective communication, and mental health and suicide prevention services. Identifies challenges to rural residents throughout, including access to broadband in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to federal and state policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Council on Disability
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COVID-19: Lessons Learned from Interior and Treasury's Administration of CARES Act Funds Could Improve Federal Emergency Relief to Tribes
Examines how the U.S. Departments of Interior and Treasury distributed CARES Act funds to tribes, the impact on tribes accessing and using these funds. Highlights the challenges the agencies and tribes faced regarding this funding. Offers lessons learned and policy recommendations for the Department of the Treasury to improve future federal emergency relief funding for tribes.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines how the U.S. Departments of Interior and Treasury distributed CARES Act funds to tribes, the impact on tribes accessing and using these funds. Highlights the challenges the agencies and tribes faced regarding this funding. Offers lessons learned and policy recommendations for the Department of the Treasury to improve future federal emergency relief funding for tribes.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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