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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Infrastructure

Health Care in Rural America: Focus on Internet and Telehealth Use
Presents results of a survey of rural adults age 40 and older conducted between November-December 2020, addressing access to specialty health services, infrastructure gaps in rural areas, and utilization of telehealth services. Provides data on internet use relative to overall health, internet access at home and with smartphones, cost issues, and highlights concerns and barriers to telehealth utilization.
Additional links: Annotated Questionnaire
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP
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Broadband: FCC Is Taking Steps to Accurately Map Locations that Lack Access
Describes efforts by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop a location fabric, a geographically specific, granular dataset, representing existing and necessary broadband deployment sites. Presents findings from an examination of potential geographic data sources, surveys of 44 states and territories, and interviews with state and federal agency stakeholders. Discusses limitations related to the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of location data.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Trail Conditions and Community Use: Utilizing Geospatial Video to Guide the Adoption of a Spatial-Temporal Trail Audit Tool (STAT)
Study examining trail audit methods and the potential benefits of the Spatial-temporal Trail Audit Tool (STAT) for rural communities looking to assess and improve trail systems to motivate outdoor physical activity. Describes the process of creating geospatial videos of 2 trails in Ohio by attaching a camera to a bicycle. Discusses the importance of physical activity and trails to rural population health.
Author(s): Carissa Smock, Naomi Carlson, Chelsey Kirkland
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8741
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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Association of the Neighborhood Built Environment with Incident and Prevalent Depression in the Rural South
Shares the results of a study examining if the built environment is associated with depression for residents living in rural Washington Parish, Louisiana. Examines if observed associations between rural built environments and depression can be mitigated by physical activity. Table 1 details the demographic characteristics of the rural study population.
Author(s): Christopher E. Anderson, Stephanie T. Broyles, Maeve E. Wallace, Lydia A. Bazzano, Jeanette Gustat
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 18, 200605
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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Perceptions of Diseases of Despair by Members of Rural and Urban High-Prevalence Communities: A Qualitative Study
Reports on a study of community perceptions of despair-related illnesses based on 4 focus groups of 60 patients from 1 urban and 2 rural census blocks in central Pennsylvania where diseases of despair (DoD) are prevalent. Discusses perceived causes of DoD, such as economic instability, substance misuse, and fragmented family life; and intervention strategies at the community, local, and state level.
Author(s): Daniel R. George, Bethany Snyder, Lauren J. Van Scoy, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7), e2118134
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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Broadband Task Force: High-Speed Internet is Essential for All Counties
Offers policy recommendations and best practices related to broadband infrastructure, including expansion into rural areas. Discusses broadband technology, community partnerships, and policy considerations. Presents case studies of county-level initiatives and a list of broadband solutions by county in the appendix.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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Examining Opportunities for Growth and Investment in Rural America
Video recording of testimony from rural healthcare and economic organization leadership to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. Discusses broadband and telehealth, COVID-19 impacts on rural healthcare and economics, education, infrastructure, aging, and agriculture business issues. Transcript available in the video description.
Additional links: Testimony Transcripts
Date: 06/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House Committee on Agriculture
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47th Annual Arizona Rural Health Conference
Offers presentation slides and video recordings from the 2021 Annual Arizona Rural Health Conference. Covers a wide variety of topics including infrastructure needs in rural communities, telehealth and distance learning, prevention efforts to address social determinants of health, and more.
Date: 06/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Center for Rural Health
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Border 2025: United States-Mexico Environmental Program
Describes the goals and objectives of the Border 2025 program, including further investment in reducing air pollution, improving water quality, supporting waste management, and increasing preparedness to respond to environmental emergencies. Breaks down objectives into measurable stages and discusses partnerships between governments, U.S. tribes, and Mexican Indigenous communities.
Additional links: Frontera 2025: Programa Ambiental México - Estados Unidos
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Border 2020: United States-Mexico Environmental Program Key Closing Accomplishments
Describes the achievements of the Border 2020 program, including air pollution reduction, increasing access to clean water, wastewater facility construction, waste management, and emergency response preparation. Discusses examples of projects in rural colonias.
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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