Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Public health

The Social Determinants of Health and the Decline in U.S. Life Expectancy: Implications for Appalachia
Study explores life expectancy in the U.S. and compares these trends to those in Appalachia. Looks at social determinants of health such as substance use, injuries, and suicide, among others, as possible contributing factors.
Author(s): Steven H. Woolf, Heidi Schoomaker, Latoya Hill, Christine M. Orndahl
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 1(1), 6-14
Date: 2019
Type: Document
view details
Mandatory Reporting of Fatal and Nonfatal Opioid Overdoses in a Rural Public Health Department
Describes a mandatory reporting initiative in rural Clallam County, Washington of fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses. Offers data on reported cases from 2016-2017 including age, gender, participation in syringe exchanges, overdose characteristics, and public health services provided per case.
Author(s): Christopher J. Frank, Siri E. Kushner, David A. Doran, Jeanette Stehr-Green
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 108(12), 1646-1648
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
view details
Red Flags and Warning Signs Ignored: Opioid Distribution and Enforcement Concerns in West Virginia
Report highlights a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce investigation into the opioid crisis in West Virginia. Examines the policies of the various drug distribution companies who shipped opioids into the state, as well as the effectiveness of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) oversight.
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
view details
Talking about Hepatitis C: FAQs from Young Adults who Inject Drugs
Highlights some common questions posed by rural young adults at high risk of hepatitis C (HCV) infection due to injectable drug use. Breaks down demographic data by sex, race, and education among other measures.
Author(s): Lauren L. Knight, Katherine Wagner, Yuridia Leyva, et al.
Citation: Health Promotion Practice, 19(6), 815-822
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
view details
Variations in Support for Secondhand Smoke Restrictions Across Diverse Rural Regions of the United States
Surveys the support of secondhand smoke restrictions among rural and urban people across all of the HHS regions. Explores the attitudes of people pertaining to smoking regulations in various locations, such as in homes, bars, and playgrounds, among others.
Author(s): Frances A. Stillman, Erin Tanenbaum, Mary Ellen Wewers, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 116, 157-165
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
view details
HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV Infection in the United States and Dependent Areas, 2017
Details the rates of HIV infection nationally, with breakdowns by age, race/ethnicity, geographical region, metropolitan statistical area of residence, and many other categories. Highlights infection rates for American Indian and Alaska Native populations, among other groups.
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
A Large HCV Transmission Network Enabled a Fast-growing HIV Outbreak in Rural Indiana, 2015
Highlights a study of the co-infection of hepatitis C among HIV patients who inject opioids in rural Indiana. Details the age, race, and county of residence, as well as several risk factors of the patients.
Author(s): Sumathi Ramachandran, Hong Thai, Joseph C. Forbi, et al.
Citation: EBioMedicine, 37, 374-381
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
view details
Continuing Evidence of Chagas Disease Along the Texas-Mexico Border
Explores a study on Chagas Disease on the Texas-Mexico border. Features case studies detailing experiences with the disease in the rural towns of Rio Grande City, TX and San Vicente, Mexico; and in urban centers of Mission, TX and Reynosa, Mexico.
Author(s): Melissa S. Nolan, David Aguilar, Eric L. Brown, et al.
Citation: PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 12(11)
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
view details
Health Disparities Among American Indians/Alaska Natives — Arizona, 2017
Reports on sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare access, health behaviors, health status, and chronic conditions among Arizona adults, with data for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), White, and other adults. Discusses the need for culturally tailored public health approaches to address AI/AN health disparities.
Author(s): Monique Adakai, Michelle Sandoval-Rosario, Fang Xu, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 67(47), 1314-1318
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details