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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Veterans

Telephone Veteran Peer Coaching for Mental Health Treatment Engagement among Rural Veterans: The Importance of Secondary Outcomes and Qualitative Data in a Randomized Controlled Trial
Presents a study of telephone motivational coaching for veterans receiving primary care in rural VA clinics in Northern California and Louisiana. Compares 272 veterans who screened positive for mental health problems, examining impacts of veteran peer motivational coaching on depression, quality of life, posttraumatic stress disorder, and self-care. Discusses barriers to mental healthcare for rural veterans.
Author(s): Karen H. Seal, Jeffrey M. Pyne, Jennifer K. Manuel, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(4), 788-800
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
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Primary Care Mental Health Integration to Improve Early Treatment Engagement for Veterans Who Screen Positive for Depression
Analyzes the impact of mental health integration into primary care clinics (PC-MHI) among veterans diagnosed with depression. Examines 15,155 patients that screened positively for depression, with data broken down by PC-MHI reach, timeliness of depression treatment, patient sociodemographic variables and health status, and clinic characteristics, including rurality. Discusses patient location and its relationship to veteran mental health disparities.
Author(s): Lucinda B. Leung, Karen Chu, Danielle E. Rose, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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"We Got an Invite into the Fortress": VA-Community Partnerships for Meeting Veterans' Healthcare Needs
Evaluates the efficacy of the VA's Veteran's Community Partnership (VCP) initiative across the rural and urban continuum. Bases conclusions on focus group interviews with local representatives of organizations involved with VCP. Highlights program challenges, benefits, and achievements in rural and urban settings.
Author(s): Carol J. Ward, Curtis Child, Bret L. Hicken, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8334
Date: 08/2021
Type: Document
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Access to Lung Cancer Screening in the Veterans Health Administration: Does Geographic Distribution Match Need in the Population?
Highlights a study on access to lung cancer screening in Veterans Health Administration facilities. Examines screening rates in VA facilities in 44 states from 2013-2019. Breaks down data by state and region, as well as percentage of rural veterans screened. Highlights barriers to accessing screening for rural veterans.
Author(s): Jacqueline H. Boudreau, Donald R. Miller, Shirley Qian, et al.
Citation: Chest Journal, 160(1), 358-367
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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Understanding Adaptations in the Veteran Health Administration's Transitions Nurse Program: Refining Methodology and Pragmatic Implications for Scale-up
Highlights a study on adaptations to the rural Transitions Nurse Program (TNP) in Veterans Health Administration facilities. Focuses on TNP sites and discusses the adaptations and lessons learned from each.
Author(s): Michaela S. McCarthy, Lexus L. Ujano-De Motta, Mary A. Nunnery, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science, 16, 71
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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COVID-19 Vaccination Plan for the Veterans Health Administration
Guidance on the VA's vaccination program, which provides vaccinations for veterans and VA staff. Covers storage and handling, safety monitoring, reporting, education, and communication. Addresses risk stratification approaches to identify those at highest risk, including rural and minority veterans. Appendix P provides detailed information on planned outreach to rural veterans.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Applied Rapid Qualitative Analysis to Develop a Contextually Appropriate Intervention and Increase the Likelihood of Uptake
Examines an intervention, Telehealth-based Coordination of Non-Veterans Health Administration Care (TECNO Care), designed to improve care coordination between the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and community providers for veterans living in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Allison A. Lewinski, Matthew J. Crowley, Christopher Miller, et al.
Citation: Medical Care, 59(6 Suppl 3), S242-S251
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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Veterans' Use of Veterans Health Administration Primary Care in an Era of Expanding Choice
Characterizes and compares veterans' use of Veterans Health Administration (VA) primary care services at VA facilities and through a VA community care network (VA-CCN) provider, using data from fiscal years 2015-2018. Features statistics including patient characteristics by primary care venue and odds of having any VA-CCN primary care, with breakdowns by urban, rural, or highly rural location.
Author(s): Denise M. Hynes, Samuel Edwards, Alex Hickok, et al.
Citation: Medical Care, 59(6), S292-S300
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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County-level Predictors of Growth in Community-based Primary Care Use Among Veterans
Measures county-level growth in Veterans Health Administration (VA) community-based primary care (CBPC) penetration following enactment of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, and assesses whether CBPC penetration increased in rural counties with limited access to VA facilities. Features statistics on county-level CBCP rates and characteristics of counties with high or low growth in penetration rates, with breakdowns by urban, rural, and highly rural locations.
Author(s): Sarah H. Gordon, Erin Beilstein-Wedel, Amy K. Rosen, et al.
Citation: Medical Care, 59(6), S301-S306
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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Did Access to Care Improve Since Passage of the Veterans Choice Act?: Differences Between Rural and Urban Veterans
Examines wait times among rural and urban veterans for physical therapy, cardiology, optometry, orthopedic, and dental services. Features demographic statistics for fiscal year (FY) 2015 with breakdowns by rural or urban patients, and average consult wait times during FY 2015 and FY 18 with breakdowns by urban or rural location, service types, and care settings.
Author(s): Deborah Gurewich, Michael Schwartz, Erin Beilstein-Wedel, Heather Davila, Amy K. Rosen
Citation: Medical Care, 59(6), S270-S278
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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