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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

The Persistence of Poverty in Rural America
Examines persistent poverty counties in rural America that struggle with food insecurity, healthcare access, and housing. Includes U.S. maps that show high-poverty counties in 2000, 2010, and 2020.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Utilization of Z Codes for Social Determinants of Health among a Sample of Medicare Advantage Enrollees, 2017 and 2019
Examines the use of Z codes for social determinants of health in a sample of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees from 2016 through 2019. Identifies the five most-used Z codes among MA enrollees, including the percent of enrollees and claims with these Z codes in 2017 and 2019. Presents data on the proportion of MA enrollees with Z code claims in 2017 and 2019 across demographic characteristics, including rurality, place of service, and provider type.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Agriculture and Local Food Economies in the Appalachian Region
Discusses Appalachia's food systems based on the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 2017 Census of Agriculture, highlighting the connection to economic and community development, environmental health and safety, and public health. Provides case studies of food banks that improve community access to food as well as produce prescription programs that help treat chronic diseases and promote community health.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Trajectories of Handgun Carrying in Rural Communities From Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood
Results of a study of 2,002 students in 12 communities across 7 states, to explore the patterns, frequency, and duration of handgun carrying among youths growing up in rural areas. Features demographics and statistics including percentage of respondents carrying a handgun at least once in the previous 12 months and frequency of handgun carrying with breakdowns by age.
Author(s): Alice M. Ellyson, Emma L. Gause, Sabrina Oesterle, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(4)
Date: 04/2022
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Healthcare Accessibility for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Descriptive Study of Rural Health Care Systems
Reports on survey results from 18 hospitals associated with rural healthcare systems regarding accessibility tools for deaf or hard of hearing patients. Presents information on tools for communication, perspectives on available tools, and types of available education for healthcare workers caring for deaf and hard of hearing patients.
Author(s): Amanda Reinhart
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network
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2021 340B Health Annual Survey: 340B Continues to Support Essential Programs and Services in the Face of Significant Financial Stress on Hospitals
Summarizes the results of an October - December 2021 survey of 510 hospitals, including small and rural hospitals, that participate in the 340B drug pricing program. Describes how these hospitals utilize their savings from the 340B program to benefit patients. Discusses the importance of the program to Critical Access Hospitals, Disproportionate Share Hospitals, and other safety-net facilities. Explores the potential effects of additional cuts to the 340B program.
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: 340B Health
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Disparity of Ovarian Cancer Survival Between Urban and Rural Settings
Explores disparities in survival rates of 111,627 epithelial ovarian cancer patients in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas of the United States, based on data from the 2004-2016 National Cancer Database (NCDB). Includes demographic information of patients such as age, race, distance to nearest hospital, and more, as well as tables showing survival rates based on geographic locations.
Author(s): Keely Krolikowski Ulmer, Breanna Greteman, Nicholas Cardillo, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 32(4), 540-546
Date: 04/2022
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Reimagining Rural: Shifting Paradigms About Health and Well-Being in the Rural United States
Discusses ways to address health needs in rural areas with a focus on shifting away from the deficit narrative of rural places. Explores definitions of rural, the intersectionality of rural citizens, and how to conduct participatory community research to promote partnerships and health access in rural communities.
Author(s): R.A. Afifi, E.A. Parker, G. Dino, D.M. Hall, B. Ulin
Citation: Annual Review of Public Health, 43, 135-154
Date: 04/2022
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Mental Health Service Use, Suicide Behavior, and Emergency Department Visits Among Rural US Veterans Who Received Video-Enabled Tablets During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study to examine whether a United States Veterans Affairs initiative to distribute video-enabled tablets during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mental healthcare access, suicide behavior, or emergency department (ED) visits among rural veterans. Features demographics and statistics on mental health services use and ED visits, with breakdowns by tablet recipients and nonrecipients.
Author(s): Kritee Gujral, James Van Campen, Josephine Jacobs, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(4)
Date: 04/2022
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Changes in Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths for Adults Aged 65 Years and Older in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic (April-December 2020), 29 States
Presents data from 29 states on the number of all-cause hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths among adults aged 65 years old and over between April–December 2020 and compares this data to statistics from the same period in 2016-2019. Presents data by patient characteristics, including urban-rural status. Includes data on the percent of hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 in 2020.
Author(s): Lawrence D. Reid, Pamela L. Owens
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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