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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

A Decade Undone: Youth Disconnection in the Age of Coronavirus
Features a report on young people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school or working. Full report details demographic information such as race and ethnicity, sex, and living arrangements. Also compares disconnection among rural and urban youth.
Additional links: Conclusions and Recommendations, Full Report, Interactive Tool
Author(s): Kristen Lewis
Date: 06/2020
Sponsoring organization: Measure of America
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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
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
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
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. 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
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
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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
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Getting in Front of COVID-19: Addressing Social Determinants of Health to Save the Lives of Seniors
Presents an overview of Southern Humboldt Community Healthcare District's (SoHum Health) efforts to proactively meet the needs of seniors sheltered-in-place due to COVID-19. Describes how SoHum Health has repurposed facilities and staff, and partners with local Humboldt County, California, organizations, to determine the needs of local seniors and make deliveries of groceries and medications. Discusses contingency plans in the event of a COVID-19 surge.
Date: 04/2020
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Association of Neighborhood Measures of Social Determinants of Health With Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates in the US Midwest
Results of a study examining how area-level social determinants of health and rurality were associated with cancer screening practices in 75 Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Health System practices in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin in 2016-2017. Features statistics on factors associated with 3 types of cancer screenings, with breakdowns by urban, rural, and highly rural areas.
Author(s): Shaheen S. Kurani, Rozalina G. McCoy, Michelle A. Lampman, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(3)
Date: 03/2020
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Building Partnerships to Improve Health in the Rural South: CareSouth Carolina
Provides an overview of CareSouth Carolina, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and its approaches to increase engagement with low-income patients in its service area. Describes the role of community health workers to address social determinants of health. Discusses partnerships with community organizations and the development of an independent practice association with other FQHCs in South Carolina. Includes CareSouth Carolina's performance scorecard and a summary of lessons learned.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 02/2020
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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