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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Environmental health

Rural Economic Development Toolkit
A toolkit designed to assist rural stakeholders with improving their outdoor recreation economies. Focuses on population health, quality of life, resilient businesses and economies, and vibrant outdoor spaces. Includes information on economic development and best practices, networking and collaboration, funding, infrastructure needs, and addressing challenges.
Additional links: Webinar
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Outdoor Recreation Roundtable
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Public Health Implications of 911 Calls During Heat and Smoke Events
Highlights a study exploring rates of 911 calls related to extreme heat and wildfire related smoke incidents in Missoula County, MT. Differentiates calls within the county by Census tract to identify rural versus urban callers and breaks down the data by average temperature, average particulate matter, and demographic details of callers, among other measures.
Author(s): Christina S. Barsky, Lauren K. McKeague, M. Blake Emidy
Citation: Natural Hazards Center Public Health Disaster Research Report Series, Report 42
Date: 2024
Type: Document
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2022 Pennsylvania Childhood Lead Surveillance Annual Report
Examines results of blood lead level testing of Pennsylvania children during calendar year 2022. Provides information about methods of testing and reporting, and statistics for county of residence, municipality, race and ethnicity, and residence in a rural or urban county.
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Department of Health
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2024 Status of Women and Girls in Minnesota
Report examining economic opportunity, safety, health and wellness, and leadership equality among women and girls in Minnesota based on data from the American Community Survey, Minnesota Student Survey, and other sources. Highlights disparities in healthcare access, food security, and environmental health for rural populations.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Center on Women, Gender and Public Policy, University of Minnesota, Women's Foundation of Minnesota
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Social and Structural Determinants of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality: An Evidence Map
Presents results of a systematic literature review of risk factors associated with maternal morbidity and mortality before, during, and after birth. Reports study findings on social and structural determinants of health including race, income, mental health, rurality, environment, violence, trauma, and more. Observes the state of current research and identifies limitations.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report
Author(s): Jaime Slaughter-Acey, Kathryn Behrens, Amy M. Claussen, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Supporting Resilience in Rural Areas Through Cross-Sector Partnerships
Discusses the importance of working across multiple agencies and organizations to address social, economic, and environmental determinants of health. Describes the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach that uses cross-sector strategies to build health infrastructure and sustainability, with examples from rural communities.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Water and Wastewater in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region: Twentieth Report of the Good Neighbor Environmental Board to the President and Congress of the United States
Report discussing drinking water and wastewater needs along the U.S.-Mexico border. Offers recommendations regarding coordination of services for underserved and tribal communities, infrastructure funding, and long-term planning. Discusses issues specific to rural areas, colonias, and tribal communities such as climates risks, health disparities, and more. Lists federal funding sources.
Author(s): P. Ganster, I. Coronado, J. McNeece, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Good Neighbor Environmental Board, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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South Carolina State Health Assessment, 2023
Reports on the health status of South Carolina residents and identifies trends and priorities. Covers topics associated with each stage of life, including maternal and infant health, childhood and adolescence, adulthood, and healthy aging. Additional highlighted areas include population characteristics, health equity, health conditions, access, workforce, public health capacity, community and environmental influences on health, and more. Discusses rural issues throughout, and provides maps showing county-level data for selected topics. Includes a condensed State Health Assessment Companion Report.
Additional links: Companion Report
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Alliance for a Healthy South Carolina (AHSC), Live Healthy South Carolina (LHSC), South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
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The Effect of Pesticide Spray Season and Residential Proximity to Agriculture on Glyphosate Exposure among Pregnant People in Southern Idaho, 2021
Evaluated regular urine samples of 40 pregnant women in Idaho to determine the impact of pesticide exposure on pregnant people both near and far from agricultural fields. Analysis included before, during, and after "spray season" or the time of the year when pesticide is most likely to be applied.
Author(s): Cynthia L. Curl, Carly Hyland, Meredith Spivak, et al.
Citation: Environmental Health Perspectives, 131(12)
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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America's Health Rankings Annual Report 2023
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 49 measures to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. and 38 additional measures used to track current and emerging health issues at state and national levels. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout, including data on American Indian/Alaska Native populations and metropolitan status.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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