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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Infectious diseases

Rapid Antigen Screening of Students and Staff for SARS-CoV-2 in Rural School Districts, Pierce County, WA, 2020
Provides an overview of a program in rural Washington school districts to screen students and staff for COVID-19 with weekly rapid antigen tests. Discusses efficacy, impact on school policy decisions, and overall sustainability of the program.
Author(s): Daniel R. Stutman, Julie K. Tergliafera, Morgan E. Black, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 112(8), 1134-1137
Date: 08/2022
Type: Document
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Reconnecting the Patient: Why Telehealth Policy Solutions Must Consider the Deepening Digital Divide
Discusses the digital divide and telehealth for specific populations including rural residents and people with disabilities in light of COVID-19. Describes federal and state legislation around the digital divide and telehealth, and provides policy recommendations for a variety of populations.
Author(s): Laura C. Hoffman
Citation: Indiana Health Law Review, 19(2), 351-385
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Rural Local Health Department Partnership in Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI), Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS): In-Depth Interviews Report
Reports on an assessment of rural, frontier, and small local health departments (LHDs) and their engagement with Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI), Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) initiatives. Provides performance information on LHDs engaged in initiatives to address HAI, AMR, and AMS, barriers preventing LHDs from engaging in initiatives, and overall workforce development and capacity of LHDs. Discusses the May 2022 interviews of 11 LHD representatives and 2 non-local health departments and includes results and recommendations.
Additional links: Infographic
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Health Communications Consultants, Inc., National Association of County and City Health Officials
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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on People who Inject Drugs Accessing Harm Reduction Services in a Rural American State
Results of a study exploring how changes made in Maine during the pandemic affected access to harm reduction services, including basic services such as shelter, syringe service programs, safe drug supply, low barrier buprenorphine treatment, and peer support. Based on interviews with 36 stakeholders comprising people who inject drugs, community partners, and healthcare providers.
Author(s): Kinna Thakarar, Michael Kohut, Rebecca Hutchinson, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 19(80)
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Expanding Access to Substance Use Services and Mental Health Care for People with HIV in Alabama, a Technology Readiness Assessment Using a Mixed Methods Approach
Results of a study exploring opportunities for enhanced substance use disorder and mental health screening using electronic patient reported outcomes and telehealth at 5 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program-funded clinics in Alabama. Features a county-level map showing HIV prevalence in Alabama in 2019.
Author(s): Ellen F. Eaton, Kaylee Burgan, Greer McCollum, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 22(1), 919
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Life Expectancy Loss Among Native Americans During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study providing estimates of loss of life expectancy in 2020 and 2021 relative to 2019 for the Native American population. Features statistics including ratio of Native American to White mortality rates in 2020 and 2021, estimates of life expectancy and losses in life expectancy for the Native American population from 2019-2021, and life expectancy at birth and at age 65 with breakdowns by race.
Author(s): Noreen Goldman, Theresa Andrasfay
Citation: Demographic Research, 47(9), 233-246
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Virtual Training and Technical Assistance: A Shift in Behavioral Health Workforce Access and Perceptions of Services During Emergency Restrictions
Compares training and technical assistance (TTA) provision in the six-month period prior to and during early COVID-19 restrictions to determine the extent to which the shift to virtual service provision affected the behavioral health and medical workforce. Examines participants' access to TTA, geographic reach of TTA, and workforce perceptions of satisfaction and utility with TTA provision.
Author(s): Kristen G. Powell, Michael J. Chaple, Maxine Henry, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Education, 22(575)
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Northern Navajo Medical Center Delivers Care Directly to Patients Experiencing Homelessness
Video details a program initiated by the Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, New Mexico, that provides treatment to people experiencing homelessness on the Navajo reservation. Discusses the mobile clinic's goals and the services it provides, such as physical exams, vaccinations, and other acute and chronic conditions.
Date: 07/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Rural Household Food Insecurity among Latino Immigrants during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Investigates impacts of COVID-19 on food insecurity among Latino immigrant families in rural areas of California. Utilizes interviews from 31 participants to examine barriers to food access including transportation, school closures, and lack of convenience. Discusses mitigation efforts related to food insecurity such as government and charitable programs.
Author(s): Denise Diaz Payán, Fabiola Perez-Lua, Sidra Goldman-Mellor, Maria-Elena De Trinidad Young
Citation: Nutrients, 14(13)
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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Urban–Rural Differences in Health Care Utilization and COVID-19 Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Examines associations of COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes by hospitalization outcomes and community type. Utilizes electronic health records (EHRs) from a Pennsylvania health system for COVID-19 outcomes such as death, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, ventilation, thromboembolism, and myocardial damage. Analyzes EHR data across township, borough, and city census tracts to understand relationships among rurality, socioeconomic deprivation, and COVID-19 outcomes.
Author(s): Annemarie G. Hirsch, Cara M. Nordberg, Karen Bandeen-Roche, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
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