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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Culture and cultural competency

The Community Pulling Together: A Tribal Community-University Partnership Project to Reduce Substance Abuse and Promote Good Health in a Reservation Tribal Community
Highlights a study on the role that collaborative relationships between tribal communities and universities can play in conducting research into alcohol and drug abuse in American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Details a collaboration between the Suquamish Tribe and the University of Washington, and the culturally sensitive substance abuse program the partnership was able to design for youth in the Suquamish community.
Author(s): Lisa R. Thomas, Dennis M. Donovan, Robin LW. Sigo, Lisette Austin, G. Alan Marlatt
Citation: Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse, 8(3), 283-300
Date: 07/2009
Type: Document
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Disaster Preparedness Training for Tribal Leaders
Describes a disaster preparedness training program for tribal leaders conducted in Arizona. Discusses the role of cultural competency, respect for tribal sovereignty, solicitation of historical examples of indigenous preparedness, and incorporation of tribal community networks in the success of the program.
Author(s): Wayne F. Peate, Jennie Mullins
Citation: Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology, 3, 2
Date: 01/2008
Type: Document
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Rural Crime and Policing in American Indian Communities
Examines crime and policing in Indian communities, including the historical development of Indian tribal policy. Identifies major factors limiting implementation of effective police forces in Indian communities.
Author(s): L. Edward Wells, David N. Falcone
Citation: Southern Rural Sociology, 23(2), 199-225
Date: 2008
Type: Document
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Rural Hospitals and Spanish Speaking Patients with Limited English Proficiency
Explores how rural hospitals are meeting the needs of patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), based on a survey of rural hospitals in counties with large established Latino populations and counties with high growth in Latino population between 1990 and 2000. Describes language services provided. Identifies barriers and strengths for providing these services.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Myriam E. Torres, Deborah Parra-Medina, Amy Brock Martin, et al.
Date: 10/2005
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Transforming the Face of Health Professions Through Cultural and Linguistic Competence Education: The Role of the HRSA Centers of Excellence
A compendium providing practical guidance in the form of strategies, tools, and resources for HRSA Centers of Excellence implementing and integrating cultural and linguistic competency content and methods into existing academic programs. It also provides guidance for evaluating cultural and linguistic competency efforts.
Date: 03/2005
Type: Document
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Broken Promises: Evaluating the Native American Health Care System
Describes the health disparities facing the Native American community, contributing barriers to healthcare access, and recommendations for improvement.
Date: 09/2004
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
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Rural Health Disparities, Population Health, and Rural Culture
Commentary discussing the rural health disparities documented in Health United States, 2001, Urban and Rural Health Chartbook. Recommends branching out from the traditional focus of rural health policy and research on access to healthcare services toward initiatives that are based on models of population health. Identifies the risky health behaviors among rural populations that suggest a "rural culture" health determinant. Suggests that there may be environmental and cultural factors unique to towns or regions that affect health behavior and health.
Author(s): David Hartley
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 94(10), 1675-1678
Date: 2004
Type: Document
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Response of Local Health Care Systems in the Rural Midwest to a Growing Latino Population
Reports findings from a study of healthcare access issues for Latinos in rural communities in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. Describes successful strategies that could be adopted by other communities to address the growing Midwestern Latino population.
Author(s): Michelle Casey, Lynn Blewett, Kathleen Call
Date: 08/2003
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Mental Health: Culture, Race, and Ethnicity — A Supplement to Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General
Provides comprehensive coverage of issues relevant to the mental health of different racial and ethnic groups. Includes some information specific to rural areas.
Date: 2001
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Tribal Members During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Case study on the Three Fires Cancer Consortium, a training and support program focused on promoting colorectal cancer screening and reducing disparities in tribal communities in Michigan. Includes discussion of patient navigation, cultural appropriateness, and more.
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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