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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

COVID-10 Vaccines: Studying Historical Successes (and Failures) for Equity-Centered Approaches to Vaccinating Indigenous Communities, Undocumented Immigrants, and Communities of Color: Proceedings of a Workshop--In Brief
Proceedings of a public webinar focused on previous historical efforts to vaccinate people, highlighting what was successfully and what was unsuccessful. Panelists include the incident commander for managing COVID-19 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the chief medical officer for Alaska, a researcher with the Farmworker Association of Florida, the director of emergency social medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, and a professor at the Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Guidance on PFAS Exposure, Testing, and Clinical Follow-Up
Report examining the effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are common in well water in rural areas and have been linked to adverse health effects including cancer, thyroid dysfunction, changes in cholesterol, and reductions in birth weight. Recommends that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health departments support clinicians in communities where PFAS contamination has been identified, by creating educational materials on PFAS exposure, potential health effects, the limitations of testing, and the benefits and harms of testing.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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2022 School Pulse Panel
Provides data on COVID-19 impacts in 2022 from a sample of elementary, middle, high, and combined-grade public schools across the U.S. Examines impacts such as absenteeism, student behavior, staffing and learning modes, mitigation strategies and common concerns, and health-related issues such as nutrition, policies (including vaccination status), and mental health. Allows user to view data by region, minority and poverty status, and school size, level, and location (city, suburban, town, rural).
Date: 2022
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Institute of Education Sciences
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Caring for People with Serious Illness: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Proceedings from a Workshop
Proceedings from a three-part workshop to explore the initial responses to the pandemic by healthcare teams providing care to people with serious illness, the impact of the pandemic on the healthcare workforce, use of telehealth, issues related to communicating with the public about health emergencies, and policy opportunities to improve care for people with serious illness. Mentions rural throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Achieving Excellence in Cancer Diagnosis Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief
Highlights discussions from a virtual workshop focused on improving cancer diagnosis. Includes information on addressing disparities in diagnosis and access to care, including disparities for rural populations. Features a cancer screening and diagnosis program serving rural Appalachia, describing the challenges faced and strategies used, including the use of a mobile screening unit.
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Lessons Learned in Health Professions Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Part 2
Summarizes the second part of the Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education, which explored the future of health professions education and challenges affecting educators, administrators, and students in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chapter 4 discusses the roles of community colleges as an entry point to higher education for rural, Black, Hispanic, and low-income families.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Global Health
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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The Rural Health Safety Net Under Pressure: Understanding the Potential Impact of COVID-19
Examines the stability of the rural health safety net at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outlines key factors that will influence the impact of COVID-19 on rural healthcare, including access to intensive care unit beds, outpatient service revenues, and rural provider days cash on hand. Highlights provisions of the CARES Act aimed at mitigating the impact of the pandemic on rural hospitals.
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Innovation in Cancer Care and Cancer Research in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Proceedings of a Workshop
Shares insights from a virtual workshop that looked at short- and long-term adjustments to cancer care delivery and cancer research during the pandemic. Includes information on rural and tribal cancer care access. Discusses telehealth for cancer care, both during the pandemic and as a tool to improve access to care going forward.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): National Cancer Policy Forum
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Traumatic Brain Injury: A Roadmap for Accelerating Progress
Provides an overview of traumatic brain injury (TBI) research. Offers recommendations to accelerate research progress and improve TBI care. Chapter 3 includes a section on TBI outcomes and access to care in rural compared to urban areas.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on Accelerating Progress in Traumatic Brain Injury Research and Care
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Campaign
Toolkit to support rural community-based groups, faith-based organizations, businesses, healthcare organizations, and others to develop communication materials to promote vaccine confidence. Offers customizable templates for print ads, posters, brochures, social media posts, and an online resource guide.
Date: 2022
Type: Website
Sponsoring organizations: Legato Healthcare Marketing, National Rural Health Resource Center
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