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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data

Veterans Health Care: Services for Substance Use Disorders, and Efforts to Address Access Issues in Rural Areas
Identifies and compares the differences in the number of veterans, and the expenditures for veterans receiving substance use disorder (SUD) services, and specialty SUD services in rural and urban areas. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies were reviewed, interviews were conducted with agency officials, and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data from 2014 to 2018 was analyzed to develop the report.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2019
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Declines In Pediatric Mortality Fall Short For Rural US Children
Examines pediatric mortality rates from 1999-2017 and related factors of race/ethnicity and rurality. Provides data according to age, race/ethnicity, cause-specific mortality, and rural versus urban county.
Author(s): Janice Probst, Whitney Zahnd, Charity Breneman
Citation: Health Affairs, 38, 12
Date: 11/2019
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It's Time to Connect Rural Health Equity with Community and Economic Development
Discusses research on the relationship of health equity with rural and economic development. Presents resources demonstrating innovative projects to help people in rural communities live healthy lives.
Author(s): Katharine Ferguson, Katrina Badger
Date: 11/2019
Sponsoring organization: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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Mobilising Cross-Sector Collaborations to Improve Population Health in US Rural Communities: A Qualitative Study
Highlights collaborations in rural communities that improve population health, such as health-promoting local contexts, seed initiatives, and hospital visions of shared leadership. Studies 4 rural communities in Iowa and conducts 22 key-informant interviews within the communities.
Author(s): Xi Zhu, Paula Weigel, Jure Baloh, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 9(11)
Date: 11/2019
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Improving the Geographical Precision of Rural Chronic Disease Surveillance by Using Emergency Claims Data: A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Survey Versus Claims Data in Sullivan County, New York
Compares mailed survey data with emergency department (ED) claims data in Sullivan County, New York to assess validity of using ED data for improved health surveillance of rural disease prevalence. Includes maps of sub-county level estimates of diabetes, asthma, and hypertension.
Author(s): David C. Lee, Justin M. Feldman, Marcela Osorio, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 9(11)
Date: 11/2019
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Evaluation of the Million Hearts® Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Model: Second Annual Report
Evaluates the first two years of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Million Hearts Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction Model to determine whether, and how, it reduces first-time strokes, heart attacks, and Medicare spending. Covers participant characteristics, including rural or urban status and organization type; implementation of the model; short- and long-term impacts on beneficiaries; and the potential mechanisms that may explain observed impacts.
Author(s): Greg Peterson, Linda Barterian, Keith Kranker, et al.
Date: 11/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Mathematica Policy Research
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Self-Identified Barriers to Rural Mental Health Services in Iowa by Older Adults with Multiple Comorbidities: Qualitative Interview Study
Highlights a study on the perceived barriers to mental healthcare for chronically ill elders in rural Iowa. Bases finding on phone interviews with participants where they detailed their experiences accessing mental healthcare. Breaks down data by age, sex, and mental health diagnosis, among other factors.
Author(s): Lauren Elizabeth Pass, Korey Kennelty, Barry L Carter
Citation: BMJ Open, 9(11), e029976
Date: 11/2019
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Area Deprivation as a Risk Factor for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infection in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis
Examines the prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infection (MRSA) in children with cystic fibrosis, studying the relationship between MRSA rates and socio-environmental conditions. Analyzes statistical data of patients in Alabama, comparing rurality and area deprivation to rates of MRSA. Discusses the rates of infection in rural and underserved areas as a consideration for prevention and treatment strategies.
Author(s): Gabriela R. Oates, William T. Harris, Steven M. Rowe, et al.
Citation: The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 38(11), e285-e289
Date: 11/2019
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Oral Health Status of Low-Income Children in Pennsylvania: A Rural-Urban Comparison
Describes research examining the oral health component of the Medical Assistance (MA) program for Pennsylvania children, additional oral health programs and services, the supply and distribution of Pennsylvania dentists, and the overall oral healthcare delivery system for low-income children in rural Pennsylvania. Features statistics including the number of general dentists and specialists who were active MA providers as of 2017, with breakdowns by urban or rural location, and a county-level map showing low-income Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas by rural status as of 2018.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Lisa Davis, Kelly Braun, Myron R. Schwartz
Date: 11/2019
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Inequalities in Elevated Depressive Symptoms in Middle-aged and Older Adults by Rural Childhood Residence: The Important Role of Education
Measures the disparities in the prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms by rural childhood residence and the influence of childhood socioeconomic conditions and educational attainment. Identifies the prevalence of depressive symptoms among U.S.-born adults ages 50 years and older using data from 1998–2014 Health and Retirement Studies – ongoing publicly available datasets of non-institutionalized adults.
Author(s): Audrey R. Murchland, Chloe W. Eng, Joan A. Casey, Jacqueline M. Torres, Elizabeth Rose Mayeda
Citation: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(11), 1633–1641
Date: 11/2019
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