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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Infectious diseases

Delivery of High-Speed Broadband Services in Unserved and Underserved Areas of the Commonwealth (Pennsylvania): Fourth Annual Report
Provides an update on the role of broadband in education, telehealth, agriculture, and community and economic development; barriers to development; funding resources; developments in Pennsylvania state and local initiatives; and efforts to identify unserved and underserved Pennsylvania communities. Includes a discussion of the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority and new federal funding for expansion and development in Pennsylvania.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Lydia Hack, Allison N. Kobzowicz, Bryan W. DeWalt, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Changes in Telehealth Experienced by Advanced Practice RNs During COVID-19
Summarizes 7,467 advanced practice RNs' national survey responses from June-September 2020 about the use of telehealth before and during the pandemic, and analyzes free-text comments about how the use of telehealth changed during the pandemic. Discusses challenges in rural areas, including provider shortages and lack of broadband access.
Author(s): Mavis N. Schorn, Carole R. Myers, Julie Barroso, et al.
Citation: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 41(7), 507–513
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Engaging Community Health Workers/Youth Ambassadors to Improve Health Literacy: Proceedings of a Workshop – in Brief
Summarizes presentations and discussions from an April 2023 workshop on the use of community health workers and youth ambassadors to promote health literacy in their communities. Highlights lessons learned by Advancing Health Literacy to Enhance Equitable Community Responses to COVID-19 and the National Infrastructure for Mitigating the Impact of COVID-19 within Racial and Ethnic Minority Communities (NIMIC) grantees who implemented health literacy approaches in community health worker and youth ambassador programs. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Although IHS Allocated COVID-19 Testing Funds to Meet Community Needs, It Did Not Ensure That the Funds Were Always Used in Accordance with Federal Requirements
Presents results of an audit of Indian Health Service (IHS) funds for COVID-19 testing. Examines if 10 IHS Direct, Tribal, and Urban Indian Organizations (UIO) in the Great Plains Area Office allocated COVID-19 testing funds to meet community needs, the effectiveness of the funding allocation, and if the funding was used in accordance with federal requirements. Outlines recommendations to IHS, as well as IHS comments and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General's response.
Additional links: Report in Brief
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Targeted Provider Relief Funds Allocated to Hospitals Had Some Differences with Respect to the Ethnicity and Race of Populations Served
Examines how early Provider Relief Fund Targeted Distributions (Targeted PRF) in 2020 correlated with the racial, ethnic, and economic characteristics of the communities providers serve. Analyzes the Targeted PRF allocations to hospitals and explores if there are statistically significant correlations between PRF per person and the racial, ethnic, and economic composition of the census tracts. Covers four Targeted PRF allocations to COVID-19 High Impact Area Hospitals, Safety Net Hospitals, Rural Hospitals, and Indian Health Service and Tribal Hospitals. Identifies and describes trends in the allotment to rural hospitals.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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The Other Side of Rural Health Care
Podcast episode with Terry Scoggin, CEO of Titus Regional Medical Center in northeast Texas, discussing how the hospital uses innovative data to understand and meet the needs of its community.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Perceived Barriers and Benefits of COVID-19 Testing among Pacific Islanders on Guam
Results of a project aiming to promote COVID-19 testing among Pacific Islanders using culturally relevant community-tailored strategies with culturally and linguistically appropriate educational materials, and to identify the factors associated with COVID-19 testing. Uses data collected from June 2021 to July 2022.
Author(s): Rachael T. Leon Guerrero, Angelina G. Mummert, Dareon C. Rios, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(13), 6302
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Occupational COVID-19 Exposures and Illnesses among Workers in California—Analysis of a New Occupational COVID-19 Surveillance System
Results of a study using Doctor's First Report of Occupational Injury or Illness (DFR) surveillance data in California to report on workers affected by occupational SARS-CoV-2 exposures and COVID-19, as well as their outcomes, including lost work time and hospitalizations. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): David Pham Bui, Kathryn Gibb, Martha Fiellin, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(13), 6307
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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Association of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Changes in Patterns of Cancer-Related Mortality in the United States
Analyzes the cancer mortality rate during the 2020 year of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic years. Utilizes the 2015-2020 Multiple Cause of Death database to examine mortality by sex, race/ethnicity, urban versus rural residence, and place of death.
Author(s): Jingxuan Zhao, Xuesong Han, Kimberly D. Miller, et al.
Citation: JCO Oncology Practice, 19(7), 501-508
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
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The State of Poverty in Ohio: Vulnerable to Disruption 2023 Report
Describes poverty in Ohio with sections on COVID-19 pandemic learning losses, mental health, and transportation. Features statistics showing variation between counties.
Date: 07/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies
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