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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

Population Health in Rural America in 2020 - A Virtual Workshop
Recording of a 2-day workshop on rural population health. Features presentations by experts in the field, with discussion on rural demographics and social determinants of health; health disparities; public health, healthcare, and community efforts to improve health outcomes in rural America; health policy; and more. Presentation slides and workshop agenda are available to download.
Author(s): Roundtable on Population Health Improvement
Date: 06/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Social Determinants of Health and County Population Rates of Opioid-Related Inpatient Stays and Emergency Department Visits, 2016
Examines characteristics of U.S. counties, comparing counties with high and low rates of opioid-related inpatient stays and treat-and-release emergency department (ED) visits among patients 15 years and older. Includes data for metro, rural adjacent to metro, and rural remote counties, as well as by urban-rural location and poverty rate.
Author(s): Pamela L. Owens, Audrey J. Weiss, Marguerite L. Barrett, Lawrence D. Reid
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Spatial Disparities in Coronavirus Incidence and Mortality in the United States: An Ecological Analysis as of May 2020
Explores the spread of COVID-19 across the U.S. Details the virus's relation to different levels of socioeconomic status by mapping the spatial patterns of its spread through both rural and urban communities. Aims to inform first responders and policy makers.
Author(s): Charlie H. Zhang, Gary G. Schwartz
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(3), 433-445
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
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Community Susceptibility and Resiliency to COVID‐19 Across the Rural‐Urban Continuum in the United States
Presents a county-level susceptibility scale for COVID-19. Highlights 7 susceptibility factors related to health and socioeconomic resiliency and discusses the different vulnerabilities of rural and urban communities.
Additional links: COVID-19 Susceptibility Map
Author(s): David J. Peters
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36(3), 446-456
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
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HIV Prevention and Treatment Challenges in Rural America
Provides an overview of the prevalence of HIV and access to HIV prevention and treatment services in rural communities. Discusses challenges to providing and accessing HIV prevention and treatment efforts in rural areas, including the lack of local healthcare services, the cost of care, and HIV-related stigma. Describes federal programs that support HIV prevention and treatment services in rural areas. Offers policy recommendations to address these barriers and to reduce rural HIV disparities.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Maternal and Obstetric Care Challenges in Rural America
Provides an overview of the clinical factors and social determinants of health that may increase the risk of maternal morbidity and mortality in rural communities. Discusses the impact of insurance coverage status, hospital and obstetric unit closures, and workforce shortages on rural maternal health. Describes the role of the Department of Health and Human Services in addressing maternal health outcomes. Offers policy recommendations to reduce rural maternal health disparities.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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COVID-19 Among Workers in Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities ― 19 States, April 2020
Examines COVID-19 cases among workers in 115 meat and poultry processing facilities reported by 19 states. Discusses factors potentially affecting risk for infection, including difficulties with workplace physical distancing and hygiene and crowded living and transportation conditions. Includes recommended changes to address these issues.
Author(s): Jonathan W. Dyal, Michael P. Grant, Kendra Broadwater, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(18), 557-561
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Ohio State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP): 2020-2022
Provides an overview of Ohio's State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) and outlines priorities, measurable objectives, evidence-based strategies, and an evaluation plan. Discusses the social determinants of health impacting equity for racial, gender, and other minorities. Includes information on community conditions, health behaviors, and access to care related to Appalachian and rural communities.
Author(s): Amy Bush Stevens, Hailey Akah, Zach Reat
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Health Policy Institute of Ohio, Ohio Department of Health
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Social Determinants of Health and 90‐Day Mortality After Hospitalization for Heart Failure in the REGARDS Study
Uses data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study to examine associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) and risk of 90-day mortality after heart failure (HF) hospitalization among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older. Some of the SDOH considered include African American race, social isolation, rural residence, living in a high poverty ZIP code or Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA), and more.
Author(s): Madeline R. Sterling, Joanna Bryan Ringel, Laura C. Pinheiro, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 9(9)
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
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Community Health Centers in a Time of Change: Results from an Annual Survey
Summarizes results from the Kaiser Family Foundation/Geiger Gibson 2019 Community Health Center Survey. Explores trends in patient health coverage, healthcare affordability, and health center revenue; social determinants of health; potential implications of Medicaid work requirements; participation in the Title X program; and other challenges facing health centers. Includes rural references throughout. Presents survey response data by urban and rural status in Appendix A.
Author(s): Jessica Sharac, Anne Markus, Jennifer Tolbert, Sara Rosenbaum
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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