Iowa Resources
Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Health Care: Chelsea Lensing
A video recording of a podcast episode that discusses mental healthcare access in rural Iowa. Features Chelsea Lensing, economics professor at Coe College in Iowa, who studies disparities in healthcare access in rural versus urban populations. Transcript available below video.
Author(s): Paul Yeager, Chelsea Lensing
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Iowa PBS
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A video recording of a podcast episode that discusses mental healthcare access in rural Iowa. Features Chelsea Lensing, economics professor at Coe College in Iowa, who studies disparities in healthcare access in rural versus urban populations. Transcript available below video.
Author(s): Paul Yeager, Chelsea Lensing
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Iowa PBS
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Variation in Dentist Participation Between Dental Medicaid Managed Care Organizations
Examines the variation in Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) participation among private practice dentists in Iowa. Describes factors associated with Medicaid MCO participation, including dentists' personal and practice characteristics, including practice type, rural or urban location, and dental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation.
Author(s): Pamela C. Nwachukwu, Peter C. Damiano, Steven Levy, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 84(4), 362-370
Date: 07/2024
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Examines the variation in Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) participation among private practice dentists in Iowa. Describes factors associated with Medicaid MCO participation, including dentists' personal and practice characteristics, including practice type, rural or urban location, and dental Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation.
Author(s): Pamela C. Nwachukwu, Peter C. Damiano, Steven Levy, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 84(4), 362-370
Date: 07/2024
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Strategic Collaboration: The Key to Moving Rural Healthcare Forward
Features strategic collaboration efforts in rural Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota that combine resources and expertise to improve care and patient outcomes.
Author(s): Kristin D. Wilson, Whitney Zahnd, Hallie Vonk
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features strategic collaboration efforts in rural Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota that combine resources and expertise to improve care and patient outcomes.
Author(s): Kristin D. Wilson, Whitney Zahnd, Hallie Vonk
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Cost of Living in Iowa 2024
Provides information and interactive data on livable wages in Iowa by county and family type. Includes county data tables regarding expenses for rent/housing, childcare, groceries, healthcare, transportation, and more.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sean Finn, Samantha Tamborski
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Common Good Iowa
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Provides information and interactive data on livable wages in Iowa by county and family type. Includes county data tables regarding expenses for rent/housing, childcare, groceries, healthcare, transportation, and more.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sean Finn, Samantha Tamborski
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Common Good Iowa
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Rural Health Leadership, with Steve Simonin
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Steve Simonin, President and CEO of Iowa Specialty Hospital and Clinics. Focuses on how healthcare systems can invest in their communities, strategies for ensuring long-term rural health sustainability, and the importance of maintaining communication with state and federal support systems.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Steve Simonin, President and CEO of Iowa Specialty Hospital and Clinics. Focuses on how healthcare systems can invest in their communities, strategies for ensuring long-term rural health sustainability, and the importance of maintaining communication with state and federal support systems.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Cancer in Iowa - 2024
Provides county-level data on cancer cases, deaths, and survivors in Iowa. Highlights information on cancer surveillance and care in Iowa, data on specific types of cancer, and risk factors for cancer, with a focus on the connection between cancer and alcohol use.
Additional links: Press Briefing
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Cancer Registry, Iowa College of Public Health
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Provides county-level data on cancer cases, deaths, and survivors in Iowa. Highlights information on cancer surveillance and care in Iowa, data on specific types of cancer, and risk factors for cancer, with a focus on the connection between cancer and alcohol use.
Additional links: Press Briefing
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Cancer Registry, Iowa College of Public Health
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Firearm Exposure and Safety Training of Rural Iowa Youth
Examines the firearm usage and training experiences of rural youth in Iowa aged 13-18. Analyzes survey data from 2019 Iowa FFA Leadership Conference attendees according to age; sex; residence of farm, country/not farm, or town; race; frequency of shooting a firearm, age when first shooting a firearm, and type of firearm used; hunting experience; and firearm safety education.
Author(s): Jamie L. Koopman, Cole C. Wymore, Nicholas R. Stange, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 574-584
Date: 02/2024
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Examines the firearm usage and training experiences of rural youth in Iowa aged 13-18. Analyzes survey data from 2019 Iowa FFA Leadership Conference attendees according to age; sex; residence of farm, country/not farm, or town; race; frequency of shooting a firearm, age when first shooting a firearm, and type of firearm used; hunting experience; and firearm safety education.
Author(s): Jamie L. Koopman, Cole C. Wymore, Nicholas R. Stange, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 574-584
Date: 02/2024
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Active Iowa: Increasing Physical Activity in Iowa Communities Program - Manual of Implementation
Toolkit details the Active Iowa program and provides information and tools for implementing and evaluating similar programs aimed at promoting active lifestyles in rural communities. Presents the structure of Active Iowa and gives step-by-step guidance on planning and implementation. Features supplemental training videos and other programmatic materials on the toolkit landing page.
Additional links: Landing Page, Supplemental Training Videos
Author(s): Barbara Baquero, Natoshia M. Askelson, Edith Parker, et al.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa Prevention Research Center for Rural Health
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Toolkit details the Active Iowa program and provides information and tools for implementing and evaluating similar programs aimed at promoting active lifestyles in rural communities. Presents the structure of Active Iowa and gives step-by-step guidance on planning and implementation. Features supplemental training videos and other programmatic materials on the toolkit landing page.
Additional links: Landing Page, Supplemental Training Videos
Author(s): Barbara Baquero, Natoshia M. Askelson, Edith Parker, et al.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa Prevention Research Center for Rural Health
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Partners in Action: Health Improvement Strategies Throughout Iowa
Outlines county-level and community-level strategies that organizations in Iowa are undertaking to address the 7 priority health areas outlined in Healthy Iowans: Iowa's State Health Assessment: access, cancer, economic stability and income, healthy eating and active living, housing, mental health and mental disorders, and substance use. Includes organization name, strategy, desired outcome, and contact information.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
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Outlines county-level and community-level strategies that organizations in Iowa are undertaking to address the 7 priority health areas outlined in Healthy Iowans: Iowa's State Health Assessment: access, cancer, economic stability and income, healthy eating and active living, housing, mental health and mental disorders, and substance use. Includes organization name, strategy, desired outcome, and contact information.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services
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Improving Maternal and Infant Services in Rural Iowa
Podcast episode discussing how St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa, responded to decreasing access to maternal health care in rural Iowa. Discusses the hospital's Center for Excellence pilot program that aims to expand access to obstetric services and improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Podcast episode discussing how St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa, responded to decreasing access to maternal health care in rural Iowa. Discusses the hospital's Center for Excellence pilot program that aims to expand access to obstetric services and improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Additional resources are available. See a full list of Iowa Resources.
Last Updated: 10/14/2025

