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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health and prenatal care

Needs Assessment of the Obstetric Workforce in Maine's Rural Hospitals
Report assessing the workforce needs for 15 hospitals with obstetrics units in rural Maine. Offers a SWOT Analysis and discusses factors contributing to sustainability of the workforce, community characteristics impacting the workforce, recruitment and retention challenges, and training challenges. Offers recommendations at the state, regional, health system, hospital, and unit level.
Author(s): Brianna Keefe-Oates, Katherine Simmonds, Louisa H. Smith, Jeni Stolow
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: MaineHealth, Roux Institute, The Maine Rural Maternity & Obstetrics Management Strategies Network
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Evaluating an Enterprise-Wide Initiative to Enhance Healthcare Coordination for Rural Women Veterans Using the RE-AIM Framework
Evaluates success of a program to expand access to cancer screenings and maternal healthcare for rural female Veterans in the areas of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance in 14 Veterans Health Administration facilities.
Author(s): Mark R. Relyea, Rebecca L. Kinney, Eric C. DeRycke, et al
Citation: Frontiers in Health Services 3, 1237701
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
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Health Status Profile of American Indians in Arizona: 2021 Data Book
Provides detailed data on Native Americans in Arizona. Covers sociodemographics, healthcare use, mortality by age and for different causes such as diabetes, and maternal and newborn health factors. Presents data by tribe and by select county for Native populations residing off-reservation.
Author(s): Matthew Roach, Yan Huang, Clare Torres
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
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Closing the Gap: How a Community Effort Can Improve Rural Maternity Care
Case study of a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) that increased access to maternal healthcare in rural North Carolina by opening a maternity care center. Discusses recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals and collaboration among healthcare organizations in the community.
Author(s): Jesus Ruiz
Citation: Annals of Family Medicine, 22(1), 68
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
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Veterans Health: VA Should Improve Its Monitoring of Severe Maternal Complications and Mental Health Screenings
Examines Veterans Administration (VA) data on deaths and severe maternal morbidity among pregnant and postpartum veterans from fiscal year 2011 through 2020. Explores actions the VA has taken to monitor maternal health outcomes among pregnant and postpartum veterans and the extent to which the VA facilitates mental health screenings for these veterans. Offers recommendations to the VA regarding monitoring trends in severe maternal morbidity by veteran characteristics and maternity care coordinators' screening of veterans for mental health conditions. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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America's Children: Special Issue 2024, Maternal and Infant Health and Well-Being
Examines the factors predicting maternal and infant well-being. Breaks down data by a number of measures, including food insecurity, vaccinations, maternal health, prenatal care, and more. Select data on Tdap vaccinations, smoking during pregnancy, adequacy of prenatal care, and maternal mortality are available by metro versus nonmetro location.
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics
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HRSA Supports Maternal Health in Rural Communities
A fact sheet that highlights the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy's 2024 investments and programs to improve rural maternal health.
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Maine Doula Workforce Assessment
Describes characteristics of doulas in Maine, their locations, the populations they serve, and what types of challenges Maine people face in accessing doulas' services. Includes information from online surveys conducted in 2023-2024. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Sarah Tewhey, Cait Vaughan
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maine Doula Coalition
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Oklahoma Maternal Health Morbidity and Mortality Annual Report 2024
Report of maternal morbidity and mortality outcomes in Oklahoma including an overview of Oklahoma women's health. Highlights recent trends and breaks down data by demographics such as race and ethnicity, educational attainment, age, rurality, and more. Offers recommendations to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality statewide. Appendix discusses challenges with accurate data for American Indian and Alaska Native people.
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Oklahoma Maternal Health Task Force, Oklahoma State Department of Health
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2023 Louisiana Health Report Card
Provides detailed health data by parish for Louisiana. Covers cancer incidence, suicides, the opioid epidemic, COVID-19, infectious diseases, low birthweights and infant deaths, top causes of death, and more.
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Department of Health
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