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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

Analysis of Pennsylvania Crash Statistics Data
Summary of vehicular crashes in rural versus urban Pennsylvania from 2010-2015, with a specific focus on the disproportionate number which occurred in rural areas. Includes a discussion of the barrier of geographic distance to care, availability of emergency service providers or law enforcement assistance, and the impact of the Marcellus Shale natural gas wells.
Author(s): Louis Pesci, Jeffrey Grim, Lucas Tatarko, Joseph Franze
Date: 05/2017
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Housing Needs of Native Hawaiians: A Report From the Assessment of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs
Report of housing conditions and needs for Native Hawaiians as part of a larger Native American housing study mandated by Congress in 2009. Includes discussion of population growth and distribution; demographic, social, and economic conditions; housing conditions and needs; circumstances of Native Hawaiians residing on Hawaiian Home Lands and those on the waiting list; and housing policy and programs. Rural and urban comparisons, particularly in the Home Lands discussion, are available.
Date: 05/2017
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Assessing Diabetes and Factors Associated with Foregoing Medical Care among Persons with Diabetes: Disparities Facing American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic, Low Income, and Southern Adults in the U.S. (2011-2015)
Identifies trends in care of and prevalence of diabetes in terms of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and explores individual and community factors related to diabetes and diabetics' unmet medical needs. Features statistics on percentages of adults diagnosed with diabetes from 2011-2015 and distribution of diabetes and foregone medical care, with breakdowns including race or ethnicity, income, and levels of rurality.
Author(s): Samuel D. Towne, Jr., Jane Bolin, Alva Ferdinand, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(5), 464
Date: 05/2017
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A Multicomponent Quality Improvement Intervention to Improve Blood Pressure and Reduce Racial Disparities in Rural Primary Care Practices
Assesses the effectiveness of a multicomponent practice-based quality improvement (QI) intervention to lower blood pressure of patients with uncontrolled hypertension and to determine if there would be a variation of effectiveness by race. Participants in the project included 525 adults with hypertension, providers and staff of which nearly 70% were African American. The study took place at primary care practices located in Lenoir County, an economically distressed county in Eastern North Carolina.
Author(s): Crystal W. Cené, Jacqueline R. Halladay, Ziya Gizlice, et al.
Citation: Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 19(4), 351-360
Date: 04/2017
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Minutes, Washington, DC, April 10-12, 2017
Summarizes the 81st meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Washington, DC. Meeting discusses policy issues that affect rural America.
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Promoting Optimal Native Outcomes (PONO) by Understanding Women's Stress Experiences
Examines psychosocial stressors in women, aged 18-35, living in a rural Hawaiian community with a large Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population to promote optimal native outcomes (PONO). Analyzes information from 36 women participating in focus groups and identifies seven stressor themes: intimate relationships; family and home life; child rearing; time for self; neighborhood environment; workplace; and finances.
Author(s): May Okihiro, Lisa Duke, Deborah Goebert, et al.
Citation: The Journal of Primary Prevention, 38(1-2), 159-173
Date: 04/2017
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Health Disparities: Closing the Gaps Using Faith-Based Institutions
Explores the role of religious institutions in rural communities, particularly related to promoting and enhancing health and wellness activities. Discusses barriers and concerns to utilizing faith-based institutions, provides program examples, and makes policy recommendations for improving current and future relationships. Also addresses the implications of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and concerns around protected health information in the faith-based setting.
Author(s): Dallas Martin, Joy Williams, Patricia Crawford, Nikki King
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Self-reported General Health, Physical Distress, Mental Distress, and Activity Limitation by US County, 1995-2012
Results of a study examining county-level prevalence of self-reported poor health. Explores geographic disparities in health outcomes and compares prevalence of poor health with behavioral and metabolic risk factors and chronic conditions. Includes county-level maps and charts showing the relationship between life expectancy and self-reported health measures.
Author(s): Laura Dwyer-Lindgren, Johan P. Mackenbach, Frank J. van Lenthe, Ali H. Mokdad
Citation: Population Health Metrics, 15(16)
Date: 04/2017
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The Role of Medicaid in Rural America
Uses data from the 2013-2015 American Community Survey to examine the role of Medicaid in rural areas, and discuss how potential expansions or cuts could affect rural healthcare. Highlights the importance of Medicaid for many rural residents who are often faced with limited access to insurance and providers, longer travel times, and greater health needs when compared to their urban counterparts. Includes several charts and graphs to illustrate important statistics and demographic comparisons.
Author(s): Julia Foutz, Samantha Artiga, Rachel Garfield
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Extending Work on Rural Health Disparities: A Commentary on Matthews and Colleagues' Report
Commentary on the CDC MMWR report, Health-Related Behaviors by Urban-Rural County Classification — United States, 2013. Discusses the value of the data provided in the report, which highlights health-related behaviors for six geographic levels. Offers recommendations to build on this work.
Author(s): Paul A. Gilbert, Helena H. Laroche, Robert B. Wallace, Edith A. Parker, Susan J. Curry
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 04/2017
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