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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Elderly population

Barriers in Accessing Dental Care for Rural Iowa Seniors
Examines barriers to dental care for rural Iowa seniors. Discusses barriers including financial concerns, perceived overall physical health, and geographic limitations.
Author(s): Mallory Obenauf
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa Public Policy Center
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Rural America's Senior Citizens: Considerations for Transportation, Healthcare Access, Connectedness, Nutrition and Economics
Policy paper providing an overview of rural older adults. Examines the challenges rural older adults face in accessing healthcare. Discusses how transportation, social isolation, nutrition, and economics impact the health outcomes of this population.
Author(s): Tasha Brown, Kay Miller Temple, Josie Rudolphi
Date: 10/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Assessment of North Dakota Mobility Options, Transit Needs, and Characteristics of Users
Examines existing transit and passenger mobility services in North Dakota to identify transportation gaps and funding requirements for rural and urban areas across the state. Provides county-level data and maps on population estimates, mobility needs index scores, demographics, number of workers without access to a vehicle, and more. Includes demographic information on rural transit riders, data for rural transit providers, and other rural-specific information.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Dilip Mistry, Jill Hough
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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VA Video Connect for Clinical Care in Older Adults in a Rural State During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Study
Highlights a study on the ability of older veterans to use the VA Video Connect (VVC) app for telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breaks down data by race, age, and rural versus urban location, among other factors.
Author(s): Kalpana P Padala, Kerrie B Wilson, Heath Gauss, Jessica D Stovall, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e21561
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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Transit for Healthcare: Volunteer Drivers in Aging Rural Minnesota
Covers supply and demand for volunteer drivers and discusses how insufficient transportation services negatively affect healthcare access for elderly and disabled populations in rural Minnesota. Examines obstacles facing volunteer drivers, including mileage reimbursement, distance to client's home, vehicle insurance, and more.
Author(s): Whitney Oachs
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Crisis Services: Meeting Needs, Saving Lives
Presents the National Guidelines for Behavioral Health Crisis Care Best Practices Toolkit and a number of companion papers on crisis care. Toolkit highlights best practices for crisis care and the papers discuss a number of related topics, including homelessness, substance use, opioid-related deaths, and rural and frontier areas, among other issues.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Policy Goals to Improve Behavioral Health Needs of Individuals, Employers and Communities in Rural New Mexico
Report examining behavioral health workforce needs and the growing older adult population in rural New Mexico. Presents data analysis, survey results, and group discussion with stakeholders in Grant, Socorro, Sierra, Valencia, and Catron counties. Offers policy recommendations related to training and certification of behavioral healthcare workers.
Author(s): Susan Wilger, Anne Hayes Egan, Alexis Brandt, Micaela Imar de la Rosa
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Innovation
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Policy Goals to Support the Healthcare Workforce in Healthy Aging Communities
Report describing a research project funded by the New Mexico Department of Health that examines behavioral healthcare workforce needs and the growing elderly population in rural Grant, Sierra, Socorro, Catron, and Valencia counties. Presents key points from discussions with project participants, including professionals in health promotion, hospital, community health centers, local government, and educational institutions. Offers policy goals related to regional services, economic planning, and expansion of Medicaid and Medicare reimbursable services.
Author(s): Susan Wilger, Anne Hayes Egan, Alexis Brandt, Micaela Imar de la Rosa
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Innovation
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Health Conditions and an Older Population Increase COVID-19 Risks in Rural America
Examines the influence of age and pre-existing health conditions on the likelihood of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 infection in rural America. Compares COVID-19 case rates and deaths by metropolitan status. Includes county-level maps on estimated risks among those infected with COVID-19 and current incidence as of August 2020.
Author(s): Kenneth M. Johnson
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Rural-Urban Differences among Older Adults
Chartbook describing characteristics of older adults in rural counties, and differences in demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, healthcare access and use, and health characteristics among urban and rural older adults. Features statistics including veteran status, racial and ethnic composition, percentage of older adults living alone, financial insecurity, health plan enrollment, health conditions, and disability status.
Author(s): Cody Tuttle, Jill Tanem, Megan Lahr, et al.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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