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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

Social Determinants of Health
Policy brief informed by a September 2016 National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services meeting held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with site visits to update the committee about factors that affect health outcomes. Identifies emerging payment models and financing strategies, and provides policy recommendations for addressing the social determinants of health in rural communities.
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Accounting for Social Risk Factors in Medicare Payment
Fifth and final report in a series designed to identify social risk factors that affect the health outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries and methods to account for these factors in Medicare payment programs. Offers thoughts about selecting the best methods to account for social risk factors and achieve policy goals. Chapter 2 includes a discussion about urbanicity and rurality, and suggests that a beneficiary's place of residence is a stronger indicator of social risk than their provider's location. Report was assembled by an ad hoc committee under the direction of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Committee on Accounting for Socioeconomic Status in Medicare Payment Programs
Date: 01/2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Georgia State Health Improvement Plan 2016-2021
Describes a plan for the improvement of public health in Georgia. Discusses trends in state demographics and health outcomes, and establishes health improvement priorities, strategies, and targets. Major topics include access, chronic disease prevention, and maternal and child health. Highlights health disparities and health workforce shortages in rural areas.
Date: 2017
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Department of Public Health
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Social Determinants of Health in the United States: Addressing Major Health Inequality Trends for the Nation, 1935-2016
Results of a study analyzing key health inequality trends in areas including maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, mental and behavioral health, chronic disease prevention, and health promotion. Examines social determinants and features statistics with breakdowns by race/ethnicity, education, mortality rates, poverty, unemployment, housing, rural or urban location, and geographic area.
Author(s): Gopal K. Singh, Gem P. Daus, Michelle Allender, Christine T. Ramey, Elijah K. Martin, et al.
Citation: International Journal of MCH and AIDS, 6(2), 139-164
Date: 2017
Type: Document
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Social Determinants of Health and Vulnerable Populations in Rural Maryland
White paper discussing how social determinants of health impact those who face barriers to health and are susceptible to poor health due to circumstances such as environmental conditions, housing concerns, lack of transportation, and poverty. Includes strategies and examples of programs that have worked in rural communities to address topics such as substance use disorder and care coordination.
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Maryland Community Health Resources Commission, Maryland Rural Health Association
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Addressing the Social Determinants of Health: The Role of Health Professions Education: Thirteenth Annual Report to the Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the Congress of the United States
Includes recommendations for redesign of health professional training to meet needs of an aging and diverse population, to become more team-based and interprofessional, and to prepare students to serve in rural and underserved communities.
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry
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Improving Community Health through Hospital Community Benefit Spending: Charting a Path to Reform
Provides background on the origin and importance of nonprofit hospital community benefit spending, and explains the difference between community building and community benefit activities. Examines policy options that the IRS could use to enhance community benefit spending focused on improving social determinants of health community-wide. Includes rural-specific statistics and multiple comparisons of items identified in community health needs assessments (CHNAs).
Author(s): Sara Rosenbaum, Maureen Byrnes, Sara Rothenberg, Rachel Gunsalus
Date: 12/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health Department of Health Policy and Management, Milken Institute School of Public Health
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Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) Lessons Learned
Provides an overview of Arizona's Health Impact Assessments (HIAs), which examines the health impacts of a potential policy, plan, program, or project, and offers lessons learned. Highlights challenges for rural HIAs on page 20.
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Vitalyst Health Foundation
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Implementation of the Federal Rural IMPACT Demonstration
Overview of the first year of the White House Rural Council and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' demonstration project, focused on improving social determinants of health and designed to reduce poverty through coordinated services for children and parents. Discusses key findings and identifies possible lessons for policymakers and stakeholders. Includes appendix with profiles of the 10 demonstration sites.
Author(s): Alana Landey, Pam Winston, Pierre Joseph
Date: 11/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services Meeting Minutes, Albuquerque, New Mexico, September 14-16, 2016
Provides a summary of the 80th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services (NACRHHS), which was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The main meeting discussion focused on rural-relevant social determinants of health.
Date: 09/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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