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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Pharmacy and prescription drugs

The Opioid Crisis: The Role of Technology and Data in Preventing and Treating Addiction
Highlights the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) hearing on the use of data and technology interventions in combating the opioid epidemic. Features testimony from representatives of Express Scripts, the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws, the Santa Clara University Public Health Program, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Date: 02/2018
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Rural/Urban Disparities in Pneumococcal Vaccine Service Delivery Among the Fee-for-Service Medicare Population
Describes a study to identify disparities in vaccine provision to people ages 65 and over, and to assess the impact of pharmacies as alternate site providers in rural areas. Includes statistics on pneumococcal vaccine services provided by fee-for-service pharmacies and primary care providers, with breakdowns by rural and urban frequency, and a state-level map with rate of service delivery per eligible population, using 2014 data.
Author(s): Jeffery C. Talbert, Aric Schadler, Patricia R. Freeman
Date: 02/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Evaluating Factors Impacting Medication Adherence Among Rural, Urban, and Suburban Populations
Compares medication adherence rates among rural and urban adults. Examines additional factors that may influence adherence, including age, income, education, gender, and ethnicity.
Author(s): Cody Arbuckle, Daniel Tomaszewski, Benjamin D. Aronson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 34(4), 339-346
Date: 01/2018
Type: Document
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QuickStats: Percentage of Emergency Department Visits for Acute Viral Upper Respiratory Tract Infection That Had an Antimicrobial Ordered or Prescribed, by Metropolitan Statistical Area — United States, 2008–2015
Bar chart showing metropolitan and nonmetropolitan emergency department visits for acute viral upper respiratory tract infection that had an antimicrobial ordered or prescribed, with data for 2008–2011 compared to 2012–2015.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 67(3), 111
Date: 01/2018
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Review of the 340B Drug Pricing Program
Provides extensive background information about the 340B Program, explains the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) oversight functions, and details requirements for the various covered entities, including rural hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Also makes recommendations for clarifying the 340B Program's scope and ensuring program integrity is maintained.
Date: 01/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Pharmacy Staff Perspectives on Alcohol and Medication Interaction Prevention Among Older Rural Adults
Analyzes the perspectives of pharmacy staff on alcohol and medication interaction (AMI) prevention programs, dissemination methods for AMI prevention information, and barriers to participation in prevention programs by rural older adults. Interviews were conducted with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in 2 counties for each of the following states: Kentucky, Maryland, and Virginia. Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings were used to identify the counties selected based on their rural and national health risk profiles.
Author(s): Faika Zanjani, Hannah Allen, Rachel Vickers Smith, Demetra Antimisiaris, Nancy Schoenberg, et al.
Citation: Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 4
Date: 2018
Type: Document
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Quality Improvement and Care Coordination: Implementing the CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
A guide to help primary care providers, practices, and healthcare systems manage patients who are on long-term opioid therapy. Provides an evidence-based prescribing guideline, quality improvement measures, and practice-level care coordination strategies. Appendix F provides examples of comprehensive management approaches, including discussion of telehealth approaches that could be used in rural communities.
Date: 2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Rural-Urban Enrollment in Part D Prescription Drug Plans: June 2017 Update
Updates prior policy briefs and shows state-to-state variation in stand-alone prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage with Prescription Drug plans. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban enrollment in 2008 and 2017.
Author(s): Paula Weigel, Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Behavioral, Mental, and Physical Health Characteristics and Opioid Medication Misuse among Community Pharmacy Patients: A Latent Class Analysis
Study of opioid misuse risk factors based on mental, behavioral, and physical health characteristics for patients in 2 rural and 2 urban Pennsylvania counties. Uses latent class analysis methodology to identify combinations of indicators that may be visible to pharmacists and that may suggest increased risk of opioid misuse, including age, employment, whether a pharmacy is in a rural area, and education level.
Author(s): Gerald Cochran, Valerie Hruschak, Jennifer L. Bacci, Kenneth C. Hohmeier, Ralph Tarter
Citation: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 13(6), 1055-1061
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
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Preventing Drug Abuse: Low Participation by Pharmacies and Other Entities as Voluntary Collectors of Unused Prescription Drugs
Report to Congress documenting low participation rates among pharmacies and other eligible entities in the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) unused controlled substance collection and disposal program. Includes an outline of program requirements, a state-by-state overview of currently eligible and enrolled entities, and information about participation rates by rural and urban location.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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