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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Infectious diseases

Rural Hospitalizations for COVID-19: Snapshot on December 10, 2020
Analyzes U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data to compare rural and urban hospitals on the percent of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and the percent of hospital beds occupied by patients who have COVID-19. Features breakdowns by geographical region.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Telemedicine Utilization Report: Telehealth and Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines the use of telemedicine to deliver Medicaid-covered services in the state of Minnesota. Describes state and federal telehealth policy waivers and modifications that were temporarily implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses telehealth use by and special considerations for rural populations.
Author(s): Neerja Singh, Julie Marquardt
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Minnesota Department of Human Services
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Factors That Might Affect SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Among Foreign-Born and U.S.-Born Poultry Facility Workers — Maryland, May 2020
Looks at workplace-related, community, and household factors that might affect person-to-person SARS-CoV-2 transmission, with data for U.S.- and foreign-born workers at two Maryland poultry processing facilities.
Author(s): Beth L. Rubenstein, Stefanie Campbell, Alysha R. Meyers, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(50), 1906-1910
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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How Might Internet Connectivity Affect Health Care Access?
Describes how a lack of internet access may negatively impact access to healthcare. Features data and statistics on internet access, with information broken down by race/ethnicity, age, poverty level, insurance status and type, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan location. Discusses COVID-19 and how social distancing measures have led to increased implementation of telehealth, resulting in additional challenges accessing healthcare among people with little to no internet connectivity.
Author(s): Krutika Amin, Matthew Rae, Giorlando Ramirez, Cynthia Cox
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Emergency Department Visits Involving Influenza and Influenza-Like Illnesses, 2016–2018
Presents statistics on influenza-like illness (ILI)-related emergency department (ED) visits in 34 states and the District of Columbia from 2016 through 2018. Includes data by location of patient's residence for metropolitan, rural metropolitan-adjacent, and rural remote areas, as well as a state-by-state map indicating the patient residence location where the rate of ED visits was highest.
Author(s): Lawrence D. Reid, Kathryn R. Fingar
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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COVID-19 Mortality Among American Indian and Alaska Native Persons — 14 States, January–June 2020
Reports on age-adjusted COVID-19-associated mortality for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic White populations, based on data from 14 states. Includes data by sex and by age group.
Author(s): Jessica Arrazola, Matthew M. Masiello, Sujata Joshi, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(49), 1853-1856
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Federal Funding for Rural Health: Supporting Planning and Development Around a Regional Transportation Need
Features Rides to Health and Wealth, a regional transportation program in eastern Missouri helping improve rural healthcare access and other health-related transportation needs. Includes discussion of how the program planning and development continued during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Re-imagining Leadership: A Pathway for Rural Health to Thrive in a COVID-19 World
A COVID-19 emergency response playbook for rural healthcare delivery systems. Designed to build rural hospital and primary care leadership capacities around strategic thinking and local problem solving. Distills insights from rural hospital administrators, clinicians, and public health experts. Includes an assessment tool to help rural communities examine governance and leadership, community engagement, financial health, clinical care, and emergency preparedness and resilience.
Author(s): Lauren S. Hughes, Benjamin D. Anderson, Darlene B. Tad-y, et al.
Date: 12/2020
Type: Tool
Sponsoring organizations: Colorado Hospital Association, Eugene S. Farley, Jr. Health Policy Center
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Addressing Opioid Overdose Deaths: The Vision for the HEALing Communities Study
Highlights a study on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ongoing HEALing Communities Study (HCS), which began in 2019 with the goal of reducing opioid overdose deaths by 40% over 3 years. Discusses the intersection of the two crises across the country and discusses the variations in rural and urban locations.
Author(s): Redonna K. Chandlera, Jennifer Villani, Thomas Clarke, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 217, 108329
Date: 12/2020
Type: Document
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HIV Update - Alaska, 2019
Report on HIV and AIDS throughout the state of Alaska in 2019. Discusses the impact of HIV on rural Alaska communities.
Additional links: HIV Surveillance Report - Alaska, 1982-2019
Citation: State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin,14
Date: 11/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Division of Public Health
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