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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Public health

Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Rural Community Pharmacies: A Protocol for a Stepped Wedge Randomized Clinical Trial
Evaluates implementation strategies of rural-located pharmacies looking to address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in their communities. Describes how the study will examine intervention fidelity, effectiveness, feasibility, acceptability, adoption, reach, and cost.
Author(s): Geoffrey Curran, Cynthia Mosley, Abigail Gamble, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science, 18, 72
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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Traffic Safety Facts 2021: A Compilation of Motor Vehicle Crash Data
Presents descriptive statistics about traffic crashes of all severities, from those that result in property damage to those that result in the loss of human life. Features statistics including rural fatal crashes by average emergency medical services response times, vehicles involved in fatal crashes by speed limit, roadway function class, crash type, and hazardous cargo, and vehicle occupants killed in crashes, with breakdowns by state and by rural or urban location.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Rural Populations Facilitated Early SARS-CoV-2 Evolution and Transmission in Missouri, USA
Examines the role of rural communities in the the early COVID-19 pandemic period. Analyzes data from 544 urban and 435 rural COVID-19 specimens in Southwest Missouri between July and December 2020 to understand transmission and evolution of the virus. Discusses the importance of public health surveillance and mitigation efforts in rural areas.
Author(s): Cynthia Y. Tang, Tao Li, Tricia A. Haynes, et al.
Citation: npj Viruses, 1(7)
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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State Actions to Build the Behavioral Health Crisis Continuum
Toolkit features a continuum of behavioral health crisis services and supports and discusses the strategies for program planning and development for state officials and agencies. Highlights models and resources for core components such as regional call centers, mobile crisis teams, and stabilization facilities, among others. Also includes crisis care principles, such as peer supports, law enforcement partnerships, and rural and frontier delivery challenges.
Author(s): Rebekah Falkner, Laura Galbreath, Sandra Wilkniss
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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2023 National Preparedness Report
Summarizes progress made and challenges that remain in building and sustaining capabilities needed to prevent and recover from threats and incidents that pose the greatest risk to the nation. Examines some of the disasters that occurred in 2022 and includes sections on risk areas, capability areas, and focus areas, including fire management, supply chain management, public health and emergency medical services, and long-term vulnerability reduction.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Emergency Management Agency
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Factors Influencing COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake among Spanish-Speaking Pregnant People
Interviewed 30 rural Spanish speaking women who were pregnant or recently postpartum to determine social media advertisement factors that influenced COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Offers recommendations for public health messaging campaigns based on findings.
Author(s): Magali Sanchez, Iveliz Martel, Elizabeth Cox, et al.
Citation: Vaccines (Basel), 11(11), 1726
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
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Study Protocol: Maintaining Preventive Care During Public Health Emergencies Through Effective Coordination
Presents a qualitative study protocol that examines screening rates at VA medical centers during COVID-19 to determine strategies that provide continued care during public health emergencies. Discusses selection of sites, which will be based on rurality, COVID-19 patient caseload, and performance related to cancer and mental health screenings. Highlights the importance of care coordination teams in regard to specialty care.
Author(s): Sylvia J. Hysong, Traber Davis Giardina, Jennifer Freytag, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 4, 150
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
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The Power of Rural in Action: CDC & State Strategies for Rural Health
A recorded webinar that discusses the work of 3 rural health offices: the Center for Disease Control's Office of Rural Health, the Texas State Office of Rural Health, and the Virginia State Office of Rural Health. Focuses on how the offices implement programs, utilize collaboration and partnerships, and provide rural health resources.
Additional links: Slides
Author(s): Diane Hall, Eva Cruz, Fern Christian
Date: 11/2023
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report
Report highlights the rate of suicide among veterans and the VA's role in suicide prevention. Discusses the causes of veteran suicide, the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had on suicide rates, and the steps the VA is taking for suicide prevention. Breaks down rates of suicide by gender, contact with the VHA, and rurality, among other factors.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Healthy Eating and Active Living Policy, Systems, and Environmental Changes in Rural Louisiana: A Contextual Inquiry to Inform Implementation Strategies
Analyzed public health practitioner focus group discussion data to identify factors impacting implementation of healthy eating and active living policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) changes in rural Louisiana. Discusses partnerships, funding, resources, policy, and more.
Author(s): Bailey Houghtaling, Laura Balis, Nila Pradhananga, Melissa Cater, Denise Holston
Citation: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 20, 132
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
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