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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

Health Care Professionals' Perspectives on Healthcare in Rural America
Presents results of a survey of over 10,000 healthcare professionals from December 2021 - March 2022. Explores the relationship between social determinants of health and providers' perceptions of health access, quality, and outcomes. Discusses providers' comfort levels, interest in, and perceptions of patient benefits from health technology. Compares survey results from rural and non-rural providers throughout.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Medscape, Walmart
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Family Caregiving for People with Cancer and Other Serious Illnesses: Proceedings of a Workshop
Reports on a May 2022 workshop exploring issues related to family caregivers and developing strategies to support and recognize their role in caring for their loved ones with cancer or other chronic illnesses. Discusses the increased role of family caregivers in rural and tribal communities and the importance of providing services, addressing social determinants of health, and allocating funding to better support family caregivers in these communities.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Geographic and Ethnic Disparities among U.S.- Mexico Border Residents
Slides providing an overview on the U.S.-Mexico border with information on policy history, rural counties, and demographic breakdowns with urban versus rural comparisons. Discusses issues such as borderland social determinants of health, health disparities, and lack of access to healthcare.
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, Elizabeth Crouch, Mary-Katherine McNatt, Myriam Torres
Date: 05/2022
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Rx for the Rural Healthcare Workforce and Access to Care
Podcast with Tom Morris of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy about trends related to the rural healthcare workforce and efforts to overcome challenges. Discusses the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, rural hospital closures, telehealth, graduate medical education in rural areas, community health workers and community paramedics, funding opportunities to promote healthcare access in rural areas, the opioid crisis, and more.
Author(s): Jessica Nicholson
Date: 05/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: The Conference Board
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Perceptions of the Coronavirus and COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination in Latinx and Indigenous Mexican Immigrant Communities in the Eastern Coachella Valley
Examines social determinants of health (SDOH) and socio-cultural perceptions of COVID-19 spread, testing, and vaccination among Latinx and indigenous Mexican farm-working communities in the rural borderland of Eastern Coachella Valley. Discusses data from 55 focus group participants about themes of misinformation, distrust of institutions, and employment and residency instability.
Author(s): Daniel Gehlbach, Evelyn Vázquez, Gabriela Ortiz, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
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A Multisectoral Approach to Advance Health Equity in Rural Northern Arizona: County-Level Leaders' Perspectives on Health Equity
Discusses health inequity and the role of multisectoral leadership, including health and human services, public health, education, criminal justice, and policy, in addressing health inequity based on data for 5 rural Arizona counties from the Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative's Regional Health Equity Survey. Discusses the perspectives of multisectoral representatives on distribution of resources and services, causes of health inequity, and social determinants of health.
Author(s): Dulce J. Jiménez, Samantha Sabo, Mark Remiker, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 960
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
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Michigan's Roadmap to Healthy Communities Phase I: 2022-2024
Outlines a plan to address the social determinants of health (SDOH) to advance equity, provide social and economic opportunities, and improve health outcomes in Michigan. Discusses the collaborative process and partnerships that target improvements in housing, food security, health equity, data strategies, and more. Includes initiatives focused on rural areas.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
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The Role of Social Determinants of Health in Value-Based Payment Models During COVID-19: An Evolving Rural Perspective
Recording of an April 2022 webinar discussing how some rural health providers address social determinants of health in their communities and mitigate hardships associated with COVID-19. Highlights strategies using value-based payment models and collaboration with community partners. Transcript is available in the video description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Alana Knudson
Date: 04/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Resource Center, NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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April 2022 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) April 2022 meeting. Covers high prices of drugs covered under Medicare Part B, initial findings from MedPAC's analysis of Part D data on drug rebates and discounts, segmentation in the stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan market, leveraging Medicare policies to address social determinants of health, an approach to streamline and harmonize Medicare's portfolio of alternative payment models, and aligning fee-for-service payment rates across ambulatory settings. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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The Justice Gap: The Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans
Reports on civil legal needs experienced by low-income Americans who do not seek professional legal help and the paths they take when facing civil legal problems. Includes information on legal needs related to healthcare access and other issues that impact health, such as housing and COVID-19. Provides details for specific groups, including rural residents, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, parents of children under 18, and domestic violence survivors.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Full Report, Special Focus Rural
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Legal Services Corporation
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