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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

Health Workforce Issues in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) Populations
Rapid response policy brief providing an overview of the Indian Health Service (IHS), and discussing tribally-operated health services and access to health services and insurance outside of tribal or IHS networks. Describes the representation of AI/AN populations within the healthcare workforce and offers recommendations and strategies to strengthen the health workforce providing care for AI/AN populations.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, Susan M. Skillman, Bianca K. Frogner
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Racial Inequities in the Availability of Evidence-Based Supports for Maternal and Infant Health in 93 Rural US Counties with Hospital-Based Obstetric Care
Policy brief describing differences between availability of supports for maternal and infant health in rural counties that are majority-Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and those in majority-White rural counties. Features statistics on community characteristics of rural counties with hospital-based obstetric care.
Author(s): Bridget Basile Ibrahim, Mariana Tuttle, Alyssa H. Fritz, Julia D. Interrante, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 07/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Healthy Iowans: Iowa's State Health Assessment
Provides an overview of population health in Iowa with a focus on health outcomes and related social, economic, and environmental factors. Outlines Iowa's overall health profile and priority areas in public health. Includes county-level data on life expectancy, primary care and dentist workforce supply, and transportation; census tract data comparing rural and urban food access; and discussions geared toward rural-specific health issues.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
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Rural Health in Connecticut A Comprehensive Review of Social Determinants, Community Resources, Health Outcomes, and Wellbeing
Documents the nature of public health for Connecticut's rural populations with a focus on trends, to understand how these populations are changing. Features chapters on social determinants of health, healthcare systems, health risks and behaviors, and health outcomes.
Author(s): Kelly Davila, Camille Seaberry
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: DataHaven
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Michigan Health IT Roadmap: "Bridge to Better Health" Report
Reports on the work of the Michigan Health IT (information technology) Commission to update the state's health IT strategy in 2020-2021. Focuses on initiatives to improve health data and public health, social determinants of health (SDOH) and the digital divide, onboarding and technical assistance, and more. Includes IT needs and strategies specific to rural areas.
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
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A Spatio-Demographic Perspective on the Role of Social Determinants of Health and Chronic Disease in Determining a Population's Vulnerability to COVID-19
Examines the relationship between potential social determinants of health (SDOH), COVID-19, and chronic disease in San Diego County, California, with comparisons among the county's subregional areas which range from urban in the west to rural in the east. Explores which socioeconomic factors associated with COVID-19 and chronic disease rates are potential SDOH. Discusses whether spatial modeling of chronic disease rates can identify communities most vulnerable to COVID-19.
Author(s): Jessica Embury, Ming-Hsiang Tsou, Atsushi Nara, Eyal Oren
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
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Staving Off One's Mortality: Rural Kidney Health and Its Disparities
Describes rural disparities around access to disease-stabilizing treatment for kidney disease and to renal replacement therapies. Features insights from providers serving rural patients, as well as a rural kidney transplant recipient sharing her experience.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 06/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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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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