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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

Vaccine-Preventable Conditions: Disparities in Hospitalizations Affecting Rural Communities in the Southeast United States
Examines hospitalizations related to vaccine-preventable diseases in southeastern U.S. communities. Analyzes data prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic across 3 age groups: pre-school children, school-aged children, and adults. Provides data breakdowns according to condition, age, and large metro, small/medium metro, or micro/non-core location.
Author(s): Etienne Pracht, Christina Eldredge, Divyani Tangudu, Richa Phuel, Athanasios Tsalatsanis
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(4), 466
Date: 03/2025
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Women's Experiences with Preventive and Health Care Services: Findings from the 2024 KFF Women's Health Survey
Provides information on utilization of women's healthcare services with 2024 KFF survey data. Focuses on healthcare status, healthcare access, preventative health services, and more, with breakdowns by demographic variables, including urbanicity for select findings.
Author(s): Ivette Gomez, Brittni Frederiksen, Alina Salganicoff
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Lung Cancer Disparities in Rural, Persistent Poverty Counties: A Secondary Data Analysis
Examines lung cancer incidence and mortality according to county-level smoking rates, rurality, and poverty. Analyzes county types, such as urban and non-persistent poverty, urban and persistent poverty, rural and non-persistent poverty, and rural and persistent poverty as correlated with lung cancer disparities.
Author(s): Veronica Bernacchi, Kelly Hirko, Eric Adjei Boakye, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 878
Date: 03/2025
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Millions in US Live in Places Where Doctors Don't Practice and Telehealth Doesn't Reach
Discusses U.S. regions that experience healthcare workforce shortages and lack access to telehealth. Includes interactive county-level map showing behavioral healthcare deserts, primary care deserts, broadband deserts, dead zones, life expectancy, household income, and percentage of rural residents. Provides comparisons of chronic disease for those with and without digital access and showcases county-level dead zones in Alabama.
Author(s): Sarah Jane Tribble, Holly K. Hacker Data, Lydia Zuraw
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Improving HPV Vaccine Coverage in Tennessee: Addressing Barriers and Expanding Access for Mid-Adults
Examines barriers to achieving optimal human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake in the rural South. Analyzes HPV vaccination rates in Tennessee according to insurance status and rural versus urban location. Discusses cancer prevention and interventions to improve education, awareness, access, and vaccination uptake among rural and uninsured populations.
Author(s): Donald J. Alcendor, Patricia Matthews-Juarez, Mohammad Tabatabai, et al.
Citation: Pathogens, 14(4), 311
Date: 03/2025
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Machine Learning to Predict Dementia for American Indian and Alaska Native Peoples: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Describes a dementia risk prediction model for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations who use Tribal health services. Utilizes data from the Indian Health Service (IHS) National Data Warehouse to analyze dementia risk for 17,398 AI/AN adults, discussing health and demographic predictors of risk.
Author(s): Kayleen Ports, Jiahui Dai, Kyle Conniff, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health - Americas, 43, 101013
Date: 03/2025
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Legal-Involved Veterans Are Less Likely to Receive Guideline-Concordant Colorectal Cancer Screening
Examines rates of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) for veterans who are legal-involved. Provides Veterans Health Administration (VHA) electronic health record data on CRC for veterans who are and who are not legal-involved, with further breakdowns by demographic variables, such as rurality.
Author(s): Kenneth J. Nieser, Alex H. S. Harris, Ingrid A. Binswanger, Sean C. Clark, Andrea K. Finlay
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 333
Date: 03/2025
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Mailed Outreach and Patient Navigation for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Rural Medicaid Enrollees: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial
Evaluates the effectiveness of a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outreach and patient navigation program among 5,614 rural Medicaid enrollees in 28 Oregon primary care clinics. Discusses the impact of the program on follow-up care.
Author(s): Gloria D. Coronado, Amanda F. Petrik, Michael C. Leo, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(3), e250928
Date: 03/2025
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Barriers and Facilitators to HPV Vaccination in Rural South Carolina Pharmacies: A Qualitative Investigation
Examines human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination services in rural South Carolina pharmacies. Utilizes interview feedback from rural community-based pharmacists and discusses barriers and facilitators to administering HPV vaccines.
Author(s): Abby Davies, Sarah Beth Tucker, Macie Goodman, Heather M. Brandt, Tessa J. Hastings
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 26
Date: 03/2025
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Enhancing Access to Nephrology Care: Telenephrology Dashboard Optimization via Human-Centered Design
Examines how the development of the Telenephrology Dashboard for veterans served by the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System (ICVAHCS) provides improved access to nephrology care and kidney specialists. Describes the methodology used to create and evaluate the dashboard as well as how telehealth tools can serve veterans in predominately rural areas.
Author(s): Melissa Swee, Bharat Kumar, M. Lee Sanders, et al.
Citation: BMC Nephrology, 26, 164
Date: 03/2025
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