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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Food security and nutrition

Addressing Food Insecurity in Rural Tennessee
A podcast that discusses local hospitals in rural Hardeman County, Tennessee that collaborated to improve access to healthy food for citizens who were experiencing food insecurity and a lack of transportation to grocery stores. Includes information on a community health needs assessment, data exploration, obesity rates, use of grant funds to address health and wellness, and more.
Author(s): Tom Haederle, John Supplitt, Ruby Kirby
Date: 05/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Map the Meal Gap 2023: A Report on County and Congressional District Food Insecurity and County Food Cost in the United States in 2021
Provides information on food insecurity in the United States, focusing on how race and ethnicity impact access to food. Includes county-level U.S. maps that show food insecurity by race and ethnicity as well as impacts for children and the overall U.S. population. Includes discussions about food insecurity in rural counties.
Additional links: Technical Appendix
Author(s): Monica Hake, Emily Engelhard, Adam Dewey
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Feeding America
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2022 Alaska Community Needs Assessment
Results of a February 2023 survey to gather household-level data on individualized, local needs in the areas of education, employment, workforce development, food security, and access to healthcare resources. Features demographics and statistics on disabilities, poverty, education level, rural housing, healthcare access, deaths of despair, substance use, and supply and demand of dental, mental health, and primary care providers.
Author(s): Daniel O'Brien
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.
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Hunger Among Adults Age 50-59 in 2021: An Annual Report
Reports on the extent, distribution, and trends of food insecurity among U.S. residents ages 50-59. Features state-level estimates and data breakdowns on food insecurity by income, race/ethnicity, metropolitan versus nonmetropolitan location, gender, and more.
Author(s): Craig Gundersen, James Ziliak
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Feeding America
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The State of Senior Hunger in America in 2021: An Annual Report
Discusses food insecurity rates among Americans age 60 or older. Includes demographics and characteristics of seniors lacking sufficient access to food, and provides trends and state-level information on food insecurity. Features data breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan settings.
Author(s): James Ziliak, Craig Gundersen
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Feeding America
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Share of Limited-service Restaurants in Rural Counties Doubled from 1990 to 2019
Stacked bar chart showing the distribution of restaurants by type in rural counties over time, showing the share of full-service restaurants, limited-service restaurants, baked goods stores, and caterers and food trucks.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Adults Living in Families Experiencing Food Insecurity in the Past 30 Days: United States, 2021
Examines characteristics of adults 18 and older living in families experiencing food insecurity. Includes data for those living in metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Julie D. Weeks, Laryssa Mykyta, Jennifer H. Madans
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Most Nonmetro Counties Had Fewer than 5 Restaurant Options per 1,000 People in 2019
Map showing nonmetro counties that has no restaurants, fewer than 2 restaurants per 1,000 people, fewer then 5, or 5 or more.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Pennsylvania State Health Improvement Plan, 2023-2028
Multi-year strategic plan developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Healthy Pennsylvania Partnership, a multi-sector partnership of stakeholders and collaborators. Outlines steps and partnerships needed to achieve health equity, chronic disease prevention, and whole person care, and encourages policymakers, healthcare providers, nonprofits, and residents to promote and support health improvements throughout Pennsylvania.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Department of Health
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Role of Rural Libraries in Promoting Digital Health Literacy
Webinar highlighting a rural library's efforts to increase digital health literacy and healthcare access in rural Texas. Discusses telehealth, broadband access inequities and digital literacy, transportation issues, aging in place, community health workers working in libraries, emergency response, circulating medical equipment, and summer meals for students. Transcript available in the video description.
Date: 03/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Network of the National Library of Medicine
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