Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Veterans
Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Versus Urban Veterans Health Administration Facilities
Explores rural veterans' access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) via the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. Highlights VHA efforts to expand access to MOUD within VHA facilities and aims to identify access levels for rural veterans via the VA's Community Care program. Breaks down data by type of MOUD and by rural or urban location.
Author(s): Jessica J. Wyse, Sarah Shull, Stephan Lindner, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38(8), 1871-1876
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Explores rural veterans' access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) via the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system. Highlights VHA efforts to expand access to MOUD within VHA facilities and aims to identify access levels for rural veterans via the VA's Community Care program. Breaks down data by type of MOUD and by rural or urban location.
Author(s): Jessica J. Wyse, Sarah Shull, Stephan Lindner, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38(8), 1871-1876
Date: 06/2023
Type: Document
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Mortality Among US Veterans Admitted to Community vs Veterans Health Administration Hospitals for COVID-19
Reviewed 64,856 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) elderly enrollees between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 to compare COVID-19 health outcomes for those admitted to VHA hospitals to those admitted to community hospitals. Discusses access to VHA hospitals for rural veterans. Makes recommendations for future COVID-19 surges and other pandemics.
Author(s): Michael E. Ohl, Kelly Richardson Miell, Brice F. Beck, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(5)
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Reviewed 64,856 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) elderly enrollees between March 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021 to compare COVID-19 health outcomes for those admitted to VHA hospitals to those admitted to community hospitals. Discusses access to VHA hospitals for rural veterans. Makes recommendations for future COVID-19 surges and other pandemics.
Author(s): Michael E. Ohl, Kelly Richardson Miell, Brice F. Beck, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(5)
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Achieving Behavioral Health Care Integration in Rural America
Provides an overview of behavioral health and primary care integration and how integration may be different in rural areas than in urban and suburban areas. Examines the barriers to integration in rural areas and opportunities for policies that can improve access to care. Offers policy recommendations to better coordinate and integrate primary care and behavioral health services for high-risk groups and expand the ability of primary care providers to handle the lower-acuity behavioral health needs of patients through enhanced payments, training, and improved access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral. Builds on the March 2021 report, Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration.
Author(s): Kendall Strong, Michele Gilbert, Julia Harris, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Provides an overview of behavioral health and primary care integration and how integration may be different in rural areas than in urban and suburban areas. Examines the barriers to integration in rural areas and opportunities for policies that can improve access to care. Offers policy recommendations to better coordinate and integrate primary care and behavioral health services for high-risk groups and expand the ability of primary care providers to handle the lower-acuity behavioral health needs of patients through enhanced payments, training, and improved access to behavioral health providers for consultation and referral. Builds on the March 2021 report, Tackling America's Mental Health and Addiction Crisis Through Primary Care Integration.
Author(s): Kendall Strong, Michele Gilbert, Julia Harris, et al.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Association of Rural Living With COPD-Related Hospitalizations and Deaths in Us Veterans
Highlights a study aiming to identify the cause of higher COPD rates in rural areas. Utilizes VA data to draw conclusions about incidence and access to treatment for COPD for rural veterans. Breaks down data by age, comorbidities, and rurality, among other factors.
Author(s): Spyridon Fortis, Yubo Gao, Arianne K. Baldomero, et al.
Citation: Scientific Reports, 13, 7887
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Highlights a study aiming to identify the cause of higher COPD rates in rural areas. Utilizes VA data to draw conclusions about incidence and access to treatment for COPD for rural veterans. Breaks down data by age, comorbidities, and rurality, among other factors.
Author(s): Spyridon Fortis, Yubo Gao, Arianne K. Baldomero, et al.
Citation: Scientific Reports, 13, 7887
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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VA Health Care: Office of Rural Health Would Benefit from Improved Communication and Developing Performance Goals
Examines the initiatives and research projects the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) funded in fiscal year 2022. Explores how the office communicates funding opportunities and assesses its progress toward achieving its mission. Offers recommendations to the ORH regarding communicating research funding opportunities across the Veterans Administration and developing performance goals reflective of leading practices.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the initiatives and research projects the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) funded in fiscal year 2022. Explores how the office communicates funding opportunities and assesses its progress toward achieving its mission. Offers recommendations to the ORH regarding communicating research funding opportunities across the Veterans Administration and developing performance goals reflective of leading practices.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Challenges and Recommendations for Improving Access to Evidence-Based COPD Management among Rural Veterans: Rural Primary Care Provider Perspectives
Highlights a study on the perspectives of primary care providers serving rural veterans on the challenges of providing evidence-based COPD management care in rural communities. Details key barriers and makes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Talitha Wilson, R. Adams Dudley, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38, 2843-2845
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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Highlights a study on the perspectives of primary care providers serving rural veterans on the challenges of providing evidence-based COPD management care in rural communities. Details key barriers and makes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Talitha Wilson, R. Adams Dudley, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38, 2843-2845
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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Bridging The Gap CoC: Homeless Point-in-Time Count January 22, 2023
Report offering point-in-time data on the homeless population in rural Hawaii counties. Discusses trends over time for various populations including veterans, children, families, people with substance use disorder, various race and ethnicities, and more. Dashboard allows for manipulating data between 2015 and 2023. 2021 data was not gathered due to COVID-19.
Additional links: Dashboard
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Bridging the Gap, Ka Mana O Na Helu
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Report offering point-in-time data on the homeless population in rural Hawaii counties. Discusses trends over time for various populations including veterans, children, families, people with substance use disorder, various race and ethnicities, and more. Dashboard allows for manipulating data between 2015 and 2023. 2021 data was not gathered due to COVID-19.
Additional links: Dashboard
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Bridging the Gap, Ka Mana O Na Helu
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2022 Alaska Community Needs Assessment
Results of a February 2023 survey to gather household-level data on individualized, local needs in the areas of education, employment, workforce development, food security, and access to healthcare resources. Features demographics and statistics on disabilities, poverty, education level, rural housing, healthcare access, deaths of despair, substance use, and supply and demand of dental, mental health, and primary care providers.
Author(s): Daniel O'Brien
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.
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Results of a February 2023 survey to gather household-level data on individualized, local needs in the areas of education, employment, workforce development, food security, and access to healthcare resources. Features demographics and statistics on disabilities, poverty, education level, rural housing, healthcare access, deaths of despair, substance use, and supply and demand of dental, mental health, and primary care providers.
Author(s): Daniel O'Brien
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Alaska Community Action Program, Inc.
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Rural-Urban Trends in Health Care Utilization, Treatment, and Mortality Among US Veterans with Congestive Heart Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines Veterans Health Administration patients between 2012 and 2017 with congestive heart failure. Data compare rural and urban differences in healthcare use, treatment received, and mortality with consideration for severity of diagnosis.
Author(s): Maya Aboumrad, David Peritz, Scott Friedman, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 844-852
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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Examines Veterans Health Administration patients between 2012 and 2017 with congestive heart failure. Data compare rural and urban differences in healthcare use, treatment received, and mortality with consideration for severity of diagnosis.
Author(s): Maya Aboumrad, David Peritz, Scott Friedman, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 844-852
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
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Whole Health Coaching to Rural Veterans through Telehealth: Advantages, Gaps, and Opportunities
Discusses the Whole Health (WH) initiative – a proactive practice using coaches to engage patients in their health and well-being, and its applicability through telehealth to offer support to rural Veterans in achieving their health goals. Analyzes the findings from data collected through interviews, national surveys and focus groups of WH coaches working with rural veterans to determine the advantages of using telehealth, gaps in telehealth usage, and opportunities for WH coaching for rural veterans.
Author(s): Kelsea LeBeau, Deepthi S. Varma, Consuelo M. Kreider, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 11
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
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Discusses the Whole Health (WH) initiative – a proactive practice using coaches to engage patients in their health and well-being, and its applicability through telehealth to offer support to rural Veterans in achieving their health goals. Analyzes the findings from data collected through interviews, national surveys and focus groups of WH coaches working with rural veterans to determine the advantages of using telehealth, gaps in telehealth usage, and opportunities for WH coaching for rural veterans.
Author(s): Kelsea LeBeau, Deepthi S. Varma, Consuelo M. Kreider, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 11
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
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