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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Population health

Health Care Access for Infants and Toddlers in Rural Areas
Research brief describing how rural children are more likely to face a unique combination of challenges that negatively impact their health and development, such as fewer healthcare providers, barriers to accessing care, and higher rates of poverty. Includes rural/urban comparisons for each state, with information on the percentage of infants and toddlers lacking health insurance, receiving recommended vaccinations, attending a preventive medical appointment, and more.
Author(s): Jessie Laurore, Gayane Baziyants, Sarah Daily
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
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Geographic Variation in the Structure of Kentucky's Population Health Systems: An Urban, Rural, and Appalachian Comparison
Examines differences in key characteristics of population health systems in Kentucky, using data from a 2018 statewide survey of community networks. Features statistics on implementation of population health activities, with breakdowns by urban, rural non-Appalachian, and rural Appalachian public health jurisdictions.
Author(s): Rachel Hogg-Graham, Angela Carman, Glen P. Mays, Pierre Martin Dominique Zephyr
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 2(3), 14-25
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
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Rural Healthcare Surge Readiness
Resources for rural healthcare systems preparing for and responding to a COVID-19 surge. Includes resources for emergency medical services, inpatient and hospital care, ambulatory care, and long-term care settings. Addresses a wide range of topics including healthcare operations, space, supplies, funding, and more.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: COVID-19 Healthcare Resilience Working Group
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Improving Substance Use Care: Addressing Barriers to Expanding Integrated Treatment Options for Post-9/11 Veterans
Report details the barriers to behavioral health treatment for veterans of the post-9/11 wars. Highlights challenges specific to rural veterans, such as stigma around mental health and substance use issues, as well as distance to care. Discusses methods for overcoming barriers to treatment.
Author(s): Eric R. Pedersen, Kathryn E. Bouskill, Stephanie Brooks Holliday, et al.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Estimated County-Level Prevalence of Selected Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Increased Risk for Severe COVID-19 Illness — United States, 2018
Reports on the estimated number and proportion of people with certain underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe COVID-19. Provides county-level maps with data on adults with any of these conditions: chronic respiratory conditions, heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or obesity. Also discusses the prevalence of underlying conditions in rural counties.
Author(s): Hilda Razzaghi, Yan Wang, Hua Lu, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(29), 945-950
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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American Communities Experience Deaths of Despair at Uneven Rates
Analyzes nationally representative data from 2014-2018 on deaths of despair (DoD), or deaths resulting from substance use or suicide. Includes county-level statistics on DoD, with information broken down by rurality and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Dante Chinni
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Communities Project
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Engaging With Communities - Lessons (Re)Learned From COVID-19
Discusses health disparities in the U.S. and offers recommendations for community engagement and partnerships in public health to achieve and maintain improved health outcomes, especially among vulnerable populations. Offers examples of community, local health department, and other partner's efforts to respond to COVID-19, including activities implemented in tribal and rural settings.
Author(s): Lloyd Michener, Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Philip Alberti, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
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America at a Glance: COVID-19 and Disability in Rural Areas
Summarizes results of a survey conducted between April-May 2020 exploring rural and urban differences in COVID-19 health risks, adherence to public health recommendations, and trust in different information sources among individuals with disabilities. Includes recommendations for how to better communicate health information to at-risk populations.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities
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Effectiveness of Interventions to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Among American Indians and Alaska Natives
Uses data on participants from 3 tribally operated healthcare clinics in rural areas to study whether direct mailing of fecal immunochemical test kits is effective in increasing colorectal cancer screening among American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Author(s): Donald Haverkamp, Kevin English, Jasmine Jacobs-Wingo, Amanda Tjemsland, David Espey
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
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The DNA of Program Sustainability: Findings from a Study of Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Grantees
Reports on the factors that contribute to program sustainability after grant funding ends, based on a study of Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program grantees. Discusses leadership, collaboration, alignment between need and demand, data use, and policy expertise as contributors to sustainability for rural programs.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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