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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

Discrimination in America: Experiences and Views of Native Americans
Examines Native Americans' personal experiences of discrimination across several areas of daily life, based on a national survey conducted between January and April, 2017. Areas of discussion include interactions with police, applying to jobs or being promoted at work, applying to or attending college, and going to a doctor or seeking healthcare. Also examines perceived differences in institutional discrimination between Native Americans living in predominantly Native areas versus those living in non-majority Native areas.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Public Radio, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Social Determinants of Health Series: Transportation and the Role of Hospitals
Presents a report on the role of hospitals in providing health-based transportation services. Features case studies of 4 different hospital programs' approach to addressing their patients' lack of access to reliable transit.
Date: 11/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discrimination in America: Experiences and Views of African Americans
Examines African Americans' personal experiences of discrimination across several areas of daily life based on a national survey conducted between January and April, 2017. Areas of discussion include interactions with police, applying to jobs or being promoted at work, applying to or attending college, going to a doctor or health clinic, and more. Examines perceived differences in discrimination between rural and urban areas, and whether individual or institutional discrimination is more prevalent.
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Despair as a Cause of Death: More Complex Than It First Appears
Describes studies showing urban-rural and racial/ethnic comparisons of premature deaths due to self-destructive behaviors and possible underlying social and economic factors in the communities.
Author(s): Ana V. Diez Roux
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 107(10), 1566-1567
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
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Despair in the American Heartland? A Focus on Rural Health
Describes 4 research articles and accompanying editorials, examining problems associated with the current state of health among rural populations.
Author(s): Paul Campbell Erwin
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 107(10), 1533-1534
Date: 10/2017
Type: Document
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Innovations in Rural Health System Development: Federally Qualified Health Center Initiatives
Reports on Maine's Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Discusses strategies for workforce recruitment and retention, serving high-need patient populations, addressing critical community needs, and providing services that address the social determinants of health. Provides various examples of programs from across the state.
Author(s): Sara Kahn-Troster, Amanda Burgess, Andrew Coburn
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Catherine Cutler Institute, Maine Health Access Foundation
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Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure: Information on Identified Needs, Planning for Future Conditions, and Coordination of Project Funding
Reviews federal programs that provide funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects and describes how infrastructure needs are identified. Also details how federal agencies support states' efforts and the extent to which federal agencies coordinate funding initiatives. Analysis is based on a review of infrastructure projects in 6 states: Alaska, California, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, and Tennessee.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Social Determinants of Health: A Quick Reference Guide for State Offices of Rural Health and State and Territorial Health Officials
Provides an overview of social determinants of health (SDOH) in rural communities and lists partners, resources, and national-level initiatives related to 4 significant SDOH in rural areas: housing, transportation, education, and food insecurity. Intended to serve as a starting point and guide for rural organizations that wish to address SDOH through multi-sector collaboration.
Date: 09/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Promising Practice: Helping Rural Hawaii THRIVE
Illustrates how community forums sponsored by the Hawaii Public Health Institute (HPHI) and supported by the Hawaii State Office of Primary Care and Rural Health (HI OPCRH) provide a venue for sharing "stories of health" to improve health and wellness in the state. Describes the THRIVE (Tools for Health Resilience in Vulnerable Environments) method used to develop multi-sector partnerships, particularly the opportunity to collectively focus on health equity, facilitate an understanding of social determinants of health, and establish a foundation for future action.
Author(s): Beth Blevins
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Promoting Integrated and Coordinated Care that Addresses Social Risk for the Dual Eligible Beneficiary Population, 2017
Describes the Measure Applications Partnership's (MAP) recent recommendations and guidance on the use of performance measures to assess and improve healthcare for dually eligible individuals/beneficiaries. Examines current measure gaps, updates to address these gaps, and measures that can help address social risk factors and health disparities. Includes a discussion on categorizing rural location as a social risk factor.
Date: 08/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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