Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

The Role of Transportation in Addressing Social Isolation in Older Adults
Summarizes the findings of a research project that included a literature review and interviews of experts to determine if a lack of transportation is associated with the probability of social isolation among older adults. Highlights common themes among three examples of transit programs, identifies funding sources for rural and urban organizations, and offers recommendations for additional research.
Additional links: Condensed Report
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Christina Worrall, Madelyn Klabunde, Yingling Fan
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility Technical Assistance Center, State Health Access Data Assistance Center, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details

Behavioral Health Care System Capacity in Pennsylvania and Its Impact on Hospital Emergency Departments and Patient Health
An assessment of Pennsylvania's behavioral health needs and the impact that the behavioral healthcare system's capacity has on hospital emergency departments and patient health. Examines the effect of provider shortages, the role of first responders, emergency response models, and efforts to expand telehealth. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Yvonne Llewellyn Hursh, Bryan W. DeWalt, Allison N. Kobzowicz, et al.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
view details

The Improved Health Outcomes Program (iHOP): A Unique Model to Promote Provider-Driven Research in a Medicaid Population
Describes the iHOP program, a grant-funded partnership between a Medicaid managed care insurer, the University of Louisville, and healthcare providers in Kentucky. The program operated from 2007-2018 and was designed to address the healthcare needs of Medicaid and uninsured populations across the state. Includes information on specific project initiatives, including those focused on special populations such as refugees, Latinos, and rural individuals.
Author(s): Tara J. Schapmire, Jill Bell, Mark. P. Pfeifer
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(14), 5079
Date: 07/2020
view details

Medicare's Mental Health Coverage: How COVID-19 Highlights Gaps and Opportunities for Improvement
Report explores Medicare beneficiaries' access to mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breaks down data by beneficiary type, severity of illness, and rural versus urban location, among other measures. Highlights barriers to care and makes recommendations for the future.
Author(s): Beth McGinty
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
view details

Rurality and Risk of Suicide Attempts and Death by Suicide among People Living in Four English-Speaking High-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Details a systematic review studies focusing on the correlation of rurality and suicide. Differentiates rates of suicide attempts and completed suicides in rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Rebecca Barry, Jürgen Rehm, Claire de Oliveira, et al.a;
Citation: The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 65(7), 441–447
Date: 07/2020
view details

Effective Community-Based Initiatives Are Needed to Curb the Opioid Crisis
Describes 6 community-research collaboratives to address the opioid crisis at the local level, including programs in St. Louis, MO, Olympia, WA, Ithaca, NY, and rural programs in Rio Arriba County, NM, western North Carolina, and tribal communities in the Midwest and the Northern Plains.
Author(s): Beth Connolly, Leslie Paulson
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Pew
view details

Integrating Responses to the Opioid Use Disorder and Infectious Disease Epidemics
Highlights the epidemic of infectious diseases co-occurring with opioid use disorder and the need for integrated treatment. Discusses barriers. such as workforce training, payment, and data sharing, among others. Includes suggestions for rural areas.
Author(s): Sandra A. Springer, Andrew P. Merluzzi, Carlos del Rio
Citation: JAMA, 324(1), 37-38
Date: 07/2020
view details

Rural Hospital Mergers Increased Between 2005 and 2016 - What Did Those Hospitals Look Like?
Discusses rural hospital mergers between 20015 and 2016. Examines key hospital-level financial and market characteristics, and describes factors associated with higher odds of hospital mergers.
Author(s): Dunc Williams, Kristin L. Reiter, George H. Pink, G. Mark Holmes, Paula H. Song
Citation: Inquiry: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 57(2020)
Date: 07/2020
view details

Special Needs in Rural America: Implications for Healthcare Workforce Education, Training, and Practice
Offers policy recommendations to strengthen rural health workforce training and improve access to healthcare in rural areas. Addresses the health and social needs of rural America through evidence-based health workforce investments in education, training, and practice. Examines disparities in health and access to care in rural areas, and mismatch in supply and demand.
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Council on Graduate Medical Education
view details

Challenges and Facilitators of Hospice Decision-making: A Retrospective Review of Family Caregivers of Home Hospice Patients in a Rural US-Mexico Border Region - A Qualitative Study
Highlights a study on hospice care utilization in the rural U.S.-Mexico border region of Southern California. Explores the decisions made by family care givers around hospice care and discusses the factors that shaped those decisions.
Author(s): Eunjeong Ko, Dahlia Fuentes, Savitri Singh-Carlson, Frances Nedjat-Haiem
Citation: BMJ Open, 10(7), e035634
Date: 07/2020
view details