Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

During Pandemic, Rural Health Foundations Provide Financial Support, Technical Assistance, and Other Services
A collection of articles featuring four rural health foundations and how they are addressing immediate and long-term issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
2020 Snapshot: State of the Oncology Workforce in America
Infographic providing statistics and data on oncology workforce characteristics and geography in 2020. Highlights rural-urban differences in oncology access, and includes a color-coded map showing oncologist distribution on the county level.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 17(1), 30
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
view details
Pesticide Exposure and Incident Thyroid Cancer Among Male Pesticide Applicators in Agricultural Health Study
Analyzed 53,096 male pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina from the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) for incidences of thyroid cancer. Participants were surveyed at enrollment in the study between 1993 and 1997 and then interviewed again between 1999 and 2005. Data show incidences of thyroid cancer with a break down of age, state, production type, and more. Also shows association between thyroid cancer risk and long-term use of pesticides.
Author(s): Catherine C. Lerro, Laura E. Beane Freeman, Curt T. DellaValle, et al.
Citation: Environmental International 146 (2021), 106187
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
view details
A Just Recovery for Rural Equity in Wisconsin
Provides information for advancing health equity, with respect to the impact of COVID-19, for rural populations in Wisconsin. Discusses topics fundamental to supporting rural health equity including: healthcare access, broadband and infrastructure, food and agriculture, job security, and availability of social services. Identifies proven policies and practices that can be implemented at the local and state level.
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
view details
Accountable Care Hospitals and Preventable Emergency Department Visits for Rural Dementia Patients
Examines differences in the frequency of emergency department visits among rural and urban patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Compares the odds of preventable ED visits for ADRD patients at hospitals affiliated and not affiliated with an Accountable Care Organization (ACO).
Author(s): Nianyang Wang, Aitalohi Amaize, Jie Chen
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 69(1), 185-190
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
view details
Effect of Behavioral Therapy With In-Clinic or Telephone Group Visits vs In-Clinic Individual Visits on Weight Loss Among Patients With Obesity in Rural Clinical Practice
Examines the difference in weight loss improvements between in-clinic group or telephone visits and in-clinic individual visits. Utilizes data from 1,407 participants visiting 36 primary care practices in the rural Midwestern U.S. and includes descriptive statistics broken down by age, sex, rurality, weight and body mass index, race and ethnicity, and education, among others.
Author(s): Christie A. Befort, Jeffrey J. VanWormer, Cyrus Desouza
Citation: JAMA, 325(4), 363-372
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
view details
Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Rural America
Highlights a study on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rural America. Explores outcomes in the areas of physical and mental health, household income, and overall well-being. Discusses shifts in employment and their impact on personal and local economies.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Kathryn McConnell, Paul Berne Burow, et al.
Citation: PNAS, 118(1), 2019378118
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
view details
Characteristics of US Adults Delaying Dental Care Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Highlights a study on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on oral healthcare utilization and the factors contributing to decisions to delay care. Bases findings on a cross-sectional national survey of adults from late May to early June of 2020. Breaks down demographic indicators of participants by age, race, and rurality, among other factors.
Author(s): A.M. Kranz, G. Gahlon, A.W. Dick, B.D. Stein
Citation: JDR Clinical & Translational Research, 6(1), 8-14
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
view details
Harm Reduction and Adaptations Among PWUD in Rural Oregon During COVID-19
Presents a study on harm reduction practices during the COVID-19 pandemic for people who use drugs (PWUDs) in rural Oregon. Bases findings on interviews with PWUDs in 5 rural counties. Breaks down data by gender, race, and drugs used. Discusses the effect of COVID-19 on syringe service programs in rural areas.
Author(s): Andrew Seaman, Gillian Leichtling, Erin Stack, et al.
Citation: AIDS and Behavior, 25(5), 1331–1339
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
view details
Rural Community Engagement for Health Disparities Research: The Unique Role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
Explores the potential of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBUs) to help reduce health disparities in rural communities of color. Highlights the Research with Care project, a collaboration between the North Carolina Central University and rural Halifax County, N.C. and discusses the expounding health disparities faced by people of color in rural areas, including COVID-19.
Author(s): Lorraine C. Taylor, Charity S. Watkins, Hannah Chesterton, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1), 64
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
view details