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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Emergency preparedness and response

Rural Cafe: Health Equity in Action, Lessons Learned and Best Practices
A recorded discussion of local health department stakeholders on health equity, emergency preparedness and response, and problem-solving in rural areas. Transcript available below description.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Fortifying Community Health Centers: Fostering Community Resilience, Equitable Response, and Disaster Preparedness
Discusses the impact of community health centers, with a focus on the diverse patients they serve, the low-cost/high-quality healthcare, and the ability to serve patients with complex needs. Includes discussion on disaster response, care coordination, and policies, such as those related to telehealth, that affect community health center work.
Date: 01/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Association of Clinicians for the Underserved, Healthcare Ready
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The Social Vulnerability of Farmworker Communities in North Central Florida: Challenges and Opportunities for Mapping Vulnerable Populations
Describes an emergency preparedness project to develop social vulnerability indicators and conduct geospatial mapping analysis of the places that farmworkers live and work in north central Florida. Discusses collaborations with farmworker-focused community based organizations and community advisory boards, ethics, and public health implications of the work. Includes recommendations to public health workers and policymakers interested in farmworker communities.
Author(s): Miranda Carver Martin, Amr Abd-Elrahman, Paul Monaghan
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Natural Hazards Center
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2024 Texas State Flood Plan
Flood plan for Texas, offering policy recommendations, a summary of existing infrastructure and projects, current and projected flood risks, goals of the plan, costs, and challenges, including for rural areas.
Additional links: Appendix B: Ranked Lists of Recommended Flood Risk Reduction Solutions
Author(s): Reem Zoun, Tressa Olsen, Matt Nelson
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Texas Water Development Board
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Transportation for People with Disabilities and Older Adults During COVID-19: Lessons for Emergency Response
Provides information on planning for transportation needs during emergencies and pandemics, with a focus on assisting older adults and people with disabilities. Discusses roles and responsibilities, personnel and resources, technology and tools, challenges and solutions, and strategies and sustainability, with reflections on issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes considerations for transit agencies in different locations, including rural and tribal.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Transit Cooperative Research Program
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organizations: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Transportation Research Board
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Cybersecurity: A Path to Increase Rural Health Care Preparedness
Policy position paper discussing the importance of increasing cybersecurity measures across rural healthcare facilities and organizations. Highlights challenges rural providers face in achieving adequate cybersecurity protections, preparedness, and response. Offers federal and state policy recommendations to support and enhance cybersecurity in rural healthcare settings.
Author(s): Michael Hassell, Jenny Niblock
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Emergency Department Care for Children During the 2022 Viral Respiratory Illness Surge
Analyzed over 2.7 million pediatric viral and respiratory emergency department visits in Michigan in 2021 and 2022 to describe wait times, length of stay, and revisits in both surge and non-surge periods. Includes rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): Alexander T. Janke, Courtney W. Mangus, Christopher M. Fung, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(12)
Date: 12/2023
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2023 National Household Survey on Disaster Preparedness
Results of telephone interviews and web surveys conducted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from February-March 2023, to assess preparedness actions, attitudes, and motivations in America. Graphic on page 36 shows a rurality preparedness summary, with breakdowns by rural and urban communities.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency
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The Medical Reserve Corps: Two Decades of Service - The Medical Reserve Corps 2022 Network Profile
Reports on aspects of the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), a national network of disaster-response volunteers, for the year 2022. Presents data and discussion on MRC demographics and distribution, volunteer management, unit capabilities, funding, and the future of the MRC. See Figure 2 for data on MRC units' geographic jurisdictions.
Author(s): Evelyn Zavala, Katherine Deffer, Beth Hess, et al.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Building Resilience through Disaster Relief and Recovery
Describes the impact of climate events on rural populations and community infrastructure. Provides strategies for localized disaster response and recovery solutions by utilizing partnerships, building resilience, and improving food access. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Author(s): Jonathan Sury, Nick Wiersma, Pam Chatman
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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