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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Infrastructure

Advancing Environmental Health and Justice: A Call for Assessment and Oversight of Health Care Waste
Addresses the impact on humans resulting from healthcare waste that is processed, incinerated or transported to landfills. Discusses the inequities that occur with transport and waste sites that disproportionately harm communities of low-income and/or of color in urban and rural areas. Highlights evidence-based strategies and advocacy efforts for public health officials to support when developing solutions to reduce healthcare waste hazards and their effect on humans in rural and urban healthcare systems.
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Public Health Association
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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Statewide Broadband Plan
Outlines goals and strategies to expand broadband access to rural and underserved areas of Pennsylvania. Describes importance of broadband in providing adequate, reliable emergency services, and enhancing tools to ensure access to healthcare services.
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development
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Remotely Sensed Measures of Hurricane Michael Damage and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes and Access to Prenatal Care Services in the Florida Panhandle
Examines the damage caused by Hurricane Michael in 2018 on residential buildings in the predominantly rural Florida panhandle and the relationship to adverse perinatal outcomes and access to prenatal care (PNC) services in this population. Compares aerial photography of building damage to 8,965 women's geocoded addresses, utilizing data from the Florida Department of Health's Office of Vital Statistics. Includes demographic information of women giving birth in high risk/damaged areas and the related associations to perinatal outcomes and access to PNC services.
Author(s): Ke Pan, Elaina Gonsoroski, Christopher K. Uejio, et al.
Citation: Environmental Health, 21, 118
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
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Exploring Multi-Sector Collaboration: A Playbook for New Rural Healthcare Models of Investment
A webinar recording highlighting a May 2022 report discussing how healthcare organizations can collaborate with economic stakeholders to improve population health. Discusses how to build partnership models by exploring case studies that use upstream health interventions in rural areas.
Author(s): Samantha Borow, Colleen Flynn, Ashley Hernandez, Rebecca Lemmons
Date: 11/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
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How To Improve Community Wildfire Defense Grants To Build Rural Resilience
Analyzes the impact of wildfires in northern New Mexico to plan for increased needs related to climate disasters in rural and vulnerable communities across the U.S. Discusses issues such as capacity in rural areas that create challenges when utilizing federal assistance. Provides suggestions for investments in built environment and collaborations across agencies to plan for grant funding that supports rural areas and increases rural resilience.
Author(s): Sofia Garcia George, Mark Haggerty
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for American Progress
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Reimagining and Reinvesting in Rural Hospital Markets
Commentary examining the hospital infrastructure needed in rural areas and how rural hospitals can be financed. Discusses current issues related to rural hospital services and how public health policy and infrastructure can impact the health of rural citizens.
Author(s): Caitlin Carroll, Arrianna Planey, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Health Services Research, 57(5), 1001-1005
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
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"Sympathy" vs. "Empathy": Comparing Experiences of I2Audits and Disability Simulations
Presents results of a qualitative study which interviewed 12 participants in rural disability simulations or inclusive, interdisciplinary community planning workshops (I2Audits) designed to identify environmental barriers for people with disabilities. Compares responses to disability simulation and I2Audits, and identifies interview themes including stigma, embarrassment, empowerment, and engagement. Discusses access, awareness, and community participation in rural areas.
Author(s): Emily C. Hicks, Meg A. Traci, Karin Korb
Citation: Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, 3, 876099
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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Health Impacts of Water and Sanitation Insecurity in the Global North: A Scoping Literature Review for U.S. Colonias on the Mexico Border
Scoping review examining the literature on the physical and mental health issues associated with water and sanitation insecurity in colonias on the U.S.-Mexico border region. Literature includes published peer-reviewed articles between 1995 and 2020 written in English. 16 articles are examined and the overall themes and gaps of the literature are discussed.
Author(s): Madeleine Zheng, Amber Wutich, Alexandra Brewis, Stavros Kavouras
Citation: Journal of Water & Health 20(9), 1329-1342
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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Helping Western Tribal Communities Understand the Impacts of and Adaptation Options for Climate Change
Analyzes the impact of the Native Waters on Arid Lands project to educate tribal areas in the Great Basin and southwestern U.S. about climate change and its impacts on drought, precipitation, and groundwater. Discusses the need to build resiliency and infrastructure for ecological health and to protect tribal agriculture and water systems from climate change issues.
Author(s): Margaret Lawrence
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
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Evaluation of a Civic Engagement Approach to Catalyze Built Environment Change and Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Rural Residents: A Cluster (Community) Randomized Controlled Trial
Provides an overview of a study that will analyze the Change Club (CC) intervention that focuses on built environment and health behaviors in rural communities. The CC intervention utilizes the civic engagement interventions for built environment change (CEBEC) approach to promote nutrition and physical activity. Discusses research plan for recruiting participants, conducting interventions, assessing and evaluating the program, and disseminating data and results.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, Karla L. Hanson, Deyaun Villarreal, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 1674
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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