Rural Health Disparities – Resources

Colonoscopy Access and Utilization - Rural Disparities in the Carolinas, 2001-2010
Describes the geographic distribution of colonoscopy providers, the utilization rate for colonoscopies in urban and rural populations, and the influence of the availability of colonoscopy providers on patients when seeking care in their local area for North and South Carolina using ambulatory surgery discharge data for colonoscopies from 2001-2010.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Jan M. Eberth, Michele Josey, Tushar Trivedi, James Hibbert, Janice C. Probst
Date: 07/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Disparities in Adolescents' Residence in Neighborhoods Supportive of Physical Activity — United States, 2011–2012
Discusses the connection between adolescents living in neighborhoods that support physical activity (have sidewalks and walking paths, parks, playgrounds, and/or recreation centers) and overall health. Identifies differences in access to neighborhoods supportive of physical activity by ethnicity and race, income level, parental education level, and rurality. Provides recommendations for community-based projects for improvement.
Author(s): Kathleen B. Watson, Carmen D. Harris, Susan A. Carlson, Joan M. Dorn, Janet E. Fulton
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 65(23), 598-601
Date: 06/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Increases in Acute Hepatitis B Virus Infections - Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, 2006-2013
Reports on increased rates of hepatitis B infections in three Appalachian states, particularly among injection drug users and in non-urban areas.
Author(s): Aaron M. Harris, Kashif Iqbal, Sarah Schillie, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 65(3), 47-50
Date: 01/2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Aging Well in the 21st Century: Strategic Directions for Research on Aging
Outlines the priorities of the National Institute on Aging (NIA). Goal F focuses on improving the health status of older adults in diverse populations, including rural older adults.
Date: 2016
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute on Aging
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Mortality and Life Expectancy in Rural America: Connecting the Health and Human Service Safety Nets to Improve Health Outcomes over the Life Course
Policy brief describing the driving forces behind rural health disparities in Appalachian Kentucky. Offers nationally relevant recommendations for addressing these challenges. Discusses rural and urban differences in life expectancy and mortality rates, and other significant factors including behavioral health, substance abuse, population health, trauma care, and transportation.
Date: 10/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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The Intersection of Residence and Area Deprivation: The Case of Hospitalizations from Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions among Children
Analyzes the role of residence and community deprivation on potentially avoidable hospitalizations among children. Examines rates of potentially avoidable hospitalizations by rural/urban geography across 9 states and discusses policy and research implications of the findings. Part 2 of a 2-part series.
Additional links: Fact Sheet
Author(s): Nathan Hale, Janice C. Probst, Ashley Robertson
Date: 08/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Minority Health Research Center (formerly the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center)
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Unequal Lives: The State of Black Women and Families in the Rural South
Analyzes the health and well-being of low-income Black women in nine rural counties across Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Identifies barriers to success and economic security, including poverty, low educational attainment, and inadequate access to public infrastructure, healthcare, and more. Includes statistics and demographics for each of the states and counties included in the study.
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative
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Differences in Stroke Mortality Among Adults Aged 45 and Over: United States, 2010-2013
Provides data on stroke mortality among adults 45 and over by age, race/ethnicity, income, urban-rural residence, and residence inside or outside the Stroke Belt. Figure 4 shows stroke rates for metropolitan and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Deborah D. Ingram, Jessica A. Montresor-Lopez
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Delay Within Appalachia – The Role of For-Profit Hospitals
Discusses the timeliness of colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment in rural hospitals of the Appalachian regions of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Study uses data from the 2006-2008 Central Cancer Registry (CCR) as well as Medicare claims to identify delays between diagnosis and treatment in healthcare facilities with various funding models.
Author(s): Eric E. Seiber, Fabian Camacho, Muhammad Fazal Zeeshan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 31(4), 382-391
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011–2012
Describes data from the National Survey of Children's Health demonstrating the health and well-being of children, as well as the family environment and the characteristics of the community that affect rural children and their families.
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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