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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

The Ethics of Place: Differences in Ethical Perspectives Among Urban, Suburban, and Rural Physicians in Georgia
A discussion of the impact of geographic location (urban, suburban, rural) on the ethical decision making process of physicians in Georgia. Organized into eight areas of comparison including payment and conflict of interest; access to care; boundary and dual role issues; patient autonomy issues; sociological and cultural differences; truth-telling and professionalism; stress and burnout; and ethics training/leadership. Includes rural-urban difference statistics for each area.
Author(s): Mary Eleanor E. Wickersham, Jean Rawlings Sumner
Citation: Online Journal of Health Ethics, 11(2)
Date: 2015
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Rural Substance Use Treatment Centers in the United States: An Assessment of Treatment Quality by Location
Investigates the differences in treatment quality in rural and urban substance abuse treatment centers to determine if these differences are a result of structural characteristics and rurality.
Author(s): Mary Bond Edmond, Lydia Aletraris, Paul M. Roman
Citation: American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 41(5), 449-457
Date: 2015
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New England Regional Health Equity Profile & Call to Action
Report of the New England Regional Health Equity Council, identifying disparities in health among racial, ethnic, and disability populations and suggesting pathways for health equity. Includes statistics broken down by race/ethnicity, disability status, gender, age, and urban/rural status.
Author(s): C.E. Drum, K.G. Phillips, K. Chiu
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organizations: National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities, New England Regional Health Equity Council
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Evaluation of Urban-Rural Differences in Pharmacy Practice Needs in Maine with the MaPPNA
Results of a survey conducted in Maine regarding needs in pharmacy practice, with a particular focus on urban versus rural areas. Topics covered include opioid abuse, access to healthcare, polypharmacy, and workforce.
Author(s): Sarah L. Martin, Robert P. Baker, Brian J. Piper
Citation: Pharmacy Practice, 13(4), 1-8
Date: 2015
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Resources and Capabilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs to Provide Timely and Accessible Care to Veterans
Provides an analysis of current and future Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare resources and capabilities in rural and urban areas. Focuses on fiscal resources, workforce, physical infrastructure, health information technology, access to VA healthcare, challenges and enablers to access, healthcare quality, and policies to improve access to healthcare for veterans.
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Current and Projected Characteristics and Unique Health Care Needs of the Patient Population Served by the Department of Veterans Affairs
Provides an analysis of the demographic characteristics and healthcare needs of the present and projected U.S. veteran population from 2015 through 2024. Includes rural and urban comparisons of the veteran population distribution, healthcare access, and medical conditions.
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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2014 Data Indicate That Four in Ten Children Live in Low-Income Families
Reports on changes in child poverty between 2013 and 2014 and since 2009. Discusses regional and state-by-state variation in child poverty rates. Includes rural child poverty data by state and region.
Author(s): Jessica A. Carson, Andrew Schaefer, Marybeth J. Mattingly
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Rural Definition of Health: A Systematic Literature Review
Review of 34 scholarly articles assessing how rural residents in the United States, Canada, and Australia define health. Includes tables with brief descriptions of each article, including author, study design, study population, findings, and quotations from participants and investigators.
Author(s): Charles Gessert, Stephen Waring, Lisa Bailey-Davis, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 15(378), 1-14
Date: 2015
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Although Child Poverty Declined in 2014, Persistent Racial and Ethnic Disadvantages Remain
Discusses changes in child poverty between 2013 and 2014 and since 2009. Includes comparative data for rural, suburban, and urban locations by race/ethnicity, age range, and broad geographic region.
Author(s): Marybeth J. Mattingly, Andrew Schaefer, Jessica A. Carson
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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Official Poverty Statistics Mask the Economic Vulnerability of Seniors: A Comparison of Maine to the Nation
Compares senior and child poverty rates in rural and urban Maine and the U.S. for the past 50 years. Poverty rates were calculated using 2 different measures: the Official Poverty Measure (OPM) which does not take into account in-kind benefits, refundable tax credits and spending on medical care; and the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) which does take into account these same factors.
Author(s): Andrew Schaefer, Marybeth Mattingly
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
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