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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Public health

Early Challenges Highlight Areas for Improvement in COVID-19 Vaccination Programs
Explores challenges faced by 56 state, local, and territorial immunization programs in implementing COVID-19 vaccination programs, including challenges to reaching rural and underserved populations. Discusses mitigation strategies the immunization programs implemented to address those challenges. Includes recommendations for the CDC to improve the efficiency and equity of the COVID-19 vaccination programs.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Ohio 2023 Early Childhood Dashboard
Provides an overview of early childhood health outcomes and overall wellness in Ohio. Covers issues such as birth outcomes, young child health, maternal health, school readiness, healthcare access and quality, economic stability, food insecurity, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), housing, and more. Includes family profiles and data with comparisons of Ohio's metrics versus the U.S. at large, as well as select data broken down by county, race/ethnicity, and rural versus urban.
Author(s): Carrie Almasi, Hailey Akah, Lexi Chirakos, Brian O'Rourke
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Groundwork Ohio, Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Interruptions in Routine Blood Pressure Screening Services Among Local Health Departments During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines interruptions related to preventative chronic disease interventions in local health departments (LHDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides results from 820 LHDs responding to the Forces of Change (FoC) survey from November 2020 to March 2021 regarding blood pressure screenings, staff capacity, and chronic disease priorities during the pandemic. Includes breakdowns of LHD data by type of governance, Census region, and size of LHD, including those serving fewer than 50,000 people.
Author(s): Margaret C. Cunningham, Jordan Royster, Timothy C. McCall
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 29(1),108-111
Date: 01/2023
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Geographic Disparities in COVID-19 Testing and Outcomes in Florida
Identifies geographic disparities in COVID-19 testing, incidence, hospitalizations, and mortality in Florida from March to July 2020. Provides county-level maps of COVID-19 patterns and discusses how spatial analysis can inform preventative public health interventions.
Author(s): Md Marufuzzaman Khan, Agricola Odoi, Evah W. Odoi
Citation: BMC Public Health, 23, 79
Date: 01/2023
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Vaccination Coverage by Age 24 Months Among Children Born During 2018–2019 — National Immunization Survey–Child, United States, 2019–2021
Examines vaccination coverage for selected vaccines and doses among children born in 2018-2019. Supplementary Table 2 includes data for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Additional links: Supplementary Table 2
Author(s): Holly A. Hill, Michael Chen, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(2), 33-38
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds in Rural and Urban Pennsylvania
Report analyzing distribution of funding from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program in Pennsylvania. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban or rural location, and by type of project for which municipalities have used their SLFRF, including public health.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Racial and Ethnic Differences in COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage Among Children and Adolescents Aged 5–17 Years and Parental Intent to Vaccinate Their Children — National Immunization Survey–Child COVID Module, United States, December 2020–September 2022
Reports on racial and ethnic differences in COVID-19 vaccination status and parental intent to vaccinate for children and adolescents aged 5-17 years. Includes data by urbanicity for those living in metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Madeleine R. Valier, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, Yi Mu, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(1), 1-8
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Addressing Commercial Tobacco Use in Indigenous Communities Toolkit
Explores public health approaches to addressing commercial tobacco use disparities in Indigenous communities. Discusses community engagement, cultural appropriateness, and other elements of effective communication and program implementation. Features case studies focused on rural youth engagement, access to services in Alaska Native villages, policy development in the Navajo Nation, and more.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: American Lung Association (ALA)
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Analysis of Wastewater Samples to Explore Community Substance Use in the United States: Pilot Correlative and Machine Learning Study
Analyzed wastewater samples from 12 locations in the United States to determine feasibility in using wastewater surveillance for monitoring substance use. Discusses using machine learning as a public health tool for analyzing data to identify communities with similar resource needs. Includes rural-specific concerns.
Author(s): Marie A. Severson, Sathaporn Onanong, Alexandra Dolezal, et al.
Citation: JMIR Formative Research, 7(2023), 45353
Date: 2023
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Maine Opioid Response: 2023-2025 Strategic Action Plan
Outlines steps being taken to save lives, to prevent substance use disorder (SUD), and to ensure that people in Maine can achieve their full potential. Focuses on prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery, as well as public safety and infrastructure, language to acknowledge the importance of working with veterans, New Mainers, and faith-based SUD treatment programs. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 2023
Sponsoring organization: Maine Governor's Office of Policy Innovation and the Future
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