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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Environmental health

Impact of Providing In-Home Water Service on the Rates of Infectious Diseases: Results from Four Communities in Western Alaska
Examines how rural Alaskans' health is affected by limited access to in-home piped water. Reviews the electronic health records of 1,032 rural Alaskans to determine how transitioning communities to in-home piped water impacts rates of respiratory, skin, and gastrointestinal infections.
Author(s): T.K. Thomas, T. Ritter, D. Bruden, et al.
Citation: Journal of Water and Health, 14(1), 132-141
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
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Climate Justice in Rural Southeastern United States: A Review of Climate Change Impacts and Effects on Human Health
Reviews the literature from 2010 to 2015 regarding the health effects due to climate change on vulnerable populations in the rural Southeastern part of the U.S. Offers suggestions for climate change mitigation in this region at the local, regional, and national level.
Author(s): Kristie S. Gutierrez, Catherine E. LePrevost
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 13(2), 189
Date: 02/2016
Type: Document
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State of the Border Region 2016 - Indicators Interim Report (December 2016)
Details an interim report on environmental health indicators along the U.S.-Mexico border for 2016. Looks at air quality, water contamination, and land pollution, among other indicators. Discusses the bi-national efforts to improve the border environment.
Additional links: Indicator Metadata and Data Tables
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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A Community-Driven Intervention in Tuftonboro, New Hampshire, Succeeds in Altering Water Testing Behavior
Reports on a community-based program coordinating with state-level programs to identify well water contaminants in rural Tuftonboro, New Hampshire. Discusses the different contaminates, their sources, and the potential health effects they cause. Presents research on community engagement and models for community-level interventions.
Author(s): Michael P. Paul, Pierce Rigrod, Steve Wingate, Mark E. Borsuk
Citation: Journal of Environmental Health, 78(5), 30-39
Date: 12/2015
Type: Document
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Comparison of Coliform Contamination in Non-Municipal Waters Consumed by the Mennonite Versus the Non-Mennonite Rural Populations
Determines the risk of Escherichia coli exposure from consuming non-municipal water sources by Mennonite and non-Mennonite rural households. Includes Mennonite and non-Mennonite data by season, water quality, health risk, and contaminant level.
Author(s): Alok Ravindra Amraotkar, Charles William Hargis, Alexander C. Cambon, et al.
Citation: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 20(5), 338-346
Date: 09/2015
Type: Document
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Lessons on Climate Change and Poverty From the California Drought
Examines the impact of California's droughts on vulnerable populations, including low-income, agricultural communities and Native American populations. Discusses drought-related health conditions and the drought's impact on food security, especially for agricultural workers. Offers recommendations to address the uneven impact of climate change, including emergency money for small and rural communities affected by the drought.
Author(s): Wendy Ortiz
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for American Progress
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Incidence of Solid Tumors Among Pesticide Applicators Exposed to the Organophosphate Insecticide Diazinon in the Agricultural Health Study: An Updated Analysis
Presents an analysis of the cancer risk for pesticide applicators detailed in the Agricultural Health Study (AHS). Looks at cancer incidence in applicators from Iowa and North Carolina who reported diazinon usage in their lifetime.
Author(s): Rena R. Jones, Francesco Barone-Adesi, Stella Koutros, et al.
Citation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 72(7), 496-503
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
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Impact of Coal Mining on Self-Rated Health among Appalachian Residents
Examines the impact of coal mining on self-reported health status of adults in the Appalachian region. Includes statistics on BMI, smoking status, income, educational attainment, coal-related employment, and number of coal facilities nearby.
Author(s): Shannon M. Woolley, Ada O. Youk, Todd M. Bear, et al.
Citation: Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2015, 501837
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
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Indoor Particulate Matter in Rural, Wood Stove Heated Homes
Examines 96 homes in rural Montana, Idaho, and Alaska using wood stoves as the primary source of heating to determine the mass of indoor particulate matter (PM) and particle number concentrations, quantify outdoor PM penetrating the indoor environment, and identify predictors of concentrations and infiltration of outdoor PM. Includes pre-intervention indoor air sampling data by demographic and home characteristics, wood stove and usage, activities in or near the home, and weather.
Author(s): Erin O. Semmens, Curtis W. Noonan, Ryan W. Allen, Emily C. Weiler, Tony J. Ward
Citation: Environmental Research, 138, 93-100
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
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Healthy Vinton: A Health Impact Assessment Focused on Water and Sanitation in a Small Rural Town on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Reports on the findings of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) regarding water quality, sanitation infrastructure, and the health of residents in a predominantly Hispanic rural community along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Author(s): William L. Hargrove, Patricia M. Juárez-Carillo, Marcelo Korc
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12(4), 3864–3888
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
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