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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Occupational health and safety

An Outbreak of COVID-19 Among H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers
Highlights a study on COVID-19 outbreaks among temporary agricultural workers with H-2A visas. Focuses on crew of 120 workers in north central Florida. Details the workers' demographic information, such as age, gender, and country of origin, and discusses some of the factors contributing to the outbreak.
Author(s): Michael Lauzardo, Nadia Kovacevich, Anthony Dennis, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 111(4), 571–573
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
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COVID-19 Outbreaks in Correctional Facilities with Work-Release Programs — Idaho, July–November 2020
Reports on COVID-19 outbreaks among incarcerated people at five Idaho correctional facilities with work-release programs. The work-release sites included an agriculture-related rural work camp and two food processing plants. Discusses the increased risk of COVID-19 exposure related to work-release programs, as well as correctional facility mitigation activities and outbreak control.
Author(s): Eileen M. Dunne, Ellie Morgan, Bruce Wells-Moore, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(16), 589-594
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Promising Flex Program Initiatives to Support Critical Access Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reports on promising State Flex Program (SFP) strategies to support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and address priority needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights initiatives implemented by SFPs in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Discusses strategies regarding support for frontline staff, staff communication, communication to rural communities, clinical and service improvement, and CAH and Rural Health Clinic financial performance. Discusses ongoing considerations and concerns.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Sara Kahn-Troster, John Gale
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Spatial Analysis of Health Care Utilization among Medicare Beneficiaries with Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis and Other Related Pneumoconiosis
Results of a study to determine and map the geographical distribution of healthcare utilization patterns among 8,625 Medicare beneficiaries with black lung disease (CWP) and other related respiratory diseases from 2011-2014. Features statistics with breakdowns by type of coal work-related disease and county-level maps showing healthcare utilization rates for beneficiaries with CWP or other related pneumoconiosis as the diagnosis.
Author(s): Ahmed A. Arif, Claudio Owusu, Rajib Paul, et al.
Date: 04/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Grantee Directory: Rural Tribal COVID-19 Response Program, 2020
Provides contact information and brief project descriptions for the 57 tribal grantees funded under the Rural Tribal COVID-19 Response Grant Program in the 2020-2022 funding cycle. Activities supported by this funding include COVID-19 testing, telehealth implementation, personal protective equipment and supplies, and hiring and training healthcare providers.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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"All Hands On Deck": The COVID-19 Pandemic Through Nurses' Eyes
Podcast recording featuring Mary Wakefield describes the role of nurses and the challenges they have faced throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses shortages of personal protective equipment, workforce challenges, vaccine administration, and solutions to support nurses in the future. Highlights the experiences of nurses at rural hospitals and clinics.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Extreme Weather Events - Perspectives & Safety Impacts in Agriculture
Highlights the experiences of agricultural workers and employers on the effect of extreme weather on the health and wellness of agricultural workers. Discusses the challenges and precautions of working in extreme heat, dust, and wildfires, among other elements.
Date: 03/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
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Society of Behavioral Medicine Statement on COVID-19 and Rural Health
Highlights the position of the Society of Behavioral Medicine on rural health disparities as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. Addresses shortages in rural health research, healthcare infrastructure, and other systemic disparities. Makes both short- and long-term recommendations to policymakers.
Author(s): Pamela Behrman, Marian L Fitzgibbon, Akilah Dulin, et al.
Citation: Translational Behavioral Medicine, 11(2), 625-630
Date: 02/2021
Type: Document
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Pesticide Exposure and Incident Thyroid Cancer Among Male Pesticide Applicators in Agricultural Health Study
Analyzed 53,096 male pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina from the Agricultural Health Study (AHS) for incidences of thyroid cancer. Participants were surveyed at enrollment in the study between 1993 and 1997 and then interviewed again between 1999 and 2005. Data show incidences of thyroid cancer with a break down of age, state, production type, and more. Also shows association between thyroid cancer risk and long-term use of pesticides.
Author(s): Catherine C. Lerro, Laura E. Beane Freeman, Curt T. DellaValle, et al.
Citation: Environmental International 146 (2021), 106187
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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Understanding Challenges to Well-Being among Latina FarmWorkers in Rural Idaho Using in an Interdisciplinary, Mixed-Methods Approach
Identifies social, cultural, and workplace-related risk factors impacting well-being in the public and private spheres of 70 female farmworkers in southwestern Idaho. Focuses on 6 themes specific to rural geography and farmworker populations, including long working hours, pesticide exposure, lack of enforcement of regulatory protections, food security, childcare responsibilities, and social isolation.
Author(s): Cynthia L. Curl, Lisa Meierotto, Rebecca L. Som Castellano
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(1), 169
Date: 01/2021
Type: Document
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