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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cancer Occurrence and Outcomes in Rural United States: A Scoping Review
Literature review on racial and ethnic disparities in cancer burden, including discussion of cancer incidence, mortality, screening, access, and knowledge among underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in rural areas. Analyzes 30 studies from 2004-2023.
Author(s): Anuli Njoku, Wendemi Sawadogo, Princess Frimpong
Citation: Cancer Control, 31
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care among American Indians and Alaska Natives: Recent Trends and Key Challenges
Issue brief presenting data on rates of insurance coverage, Medicaid coverage, and access to healthcare for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) using American Community Survey data. Discusses the impacts of health disparities, coverage expansions under the Affordable Care Act, and state Medicaid expansions on AI/AN populations.
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Reimagining Rural Health Equity: Understanding Disparities and Orienting Policy, Practice, and Research in Rural America
Commentary piece discussing public health disparities and disadvantage in rural areas. Proposes five principles for policy, research, and practice in support of health equity. Includes coverage of rural leadership and assets, rural characteristics, and the value of rural-specific interventions, among other topics.
Author(s): Anne N. Sosin, Elizabeth A. Carpenter-Song
Citation: Health Affairs, 43(6), 791-797
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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Rural Health Disparities in Skin Cancer Amplified Among Skin of Color
Analyzes how geography and the social determinants of health impact skin cancer disparities. Analyzes skin cancer history in rural versus urban populations, with data further broken down by gender, race, health plan, healthcare provider access, age, and income.
Author(s): Rachel R. Lin, Juwon Lee, Andrea D. Maderal, Scott A. Elman
Citation: Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 23(6), 480-484
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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Unlocking Potential: A Call to Action: Collaborative Strategies for Rural Health and Economic Prosperities
Reports results of discussions with economic and community development practitioners in rural and Indigenous communities on the relationship between development, racial equity, and health equity. Identifies strategies related to program implementation and evaluation, cooperation, goal setting, communication, and more.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Higher Risk of Melanoma-Related Deaths for Patients Residing in Rural Counties: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Study
Analyzes the persistence of the rural mortality penalty (RMP) related to melanoma cancer. Utilizes 2000-2019 SEER Research-Plus-17-Registry data to examine disease characteristics, incidence, and mortality rates, with breakdowns by race/ethnicity, income, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Sarah Kooper-Johnson, Viknesh Kasthuri, Alexander Homer, Bichchau Michelle Nguyen
Citation: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 90(6), 1257-1258
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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Place-Based Strengths and Vulnerabilities for Mental Wellness Among Rural Minority Older Adults: An Intervention Development Study Protocol
Presents a study on access to mental healthcare for older minorities in rural areas. Explores some of the barriers specific to racial and ethnic minorities in rural areas. Uses data as the basis for an intervention focused on place-based disparities in depression.
Author(s): Elise Trott Jaramillo
Citation: BMJ Open, 14(6), e088348
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
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Pandemic-Era Trends in Telehealth Use among Americans with Private Health Insurance
Brief analyzing telehealth use between 2019 and 2021 for people younger than 65 with private health insurance. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on telehealth use. Analyzes data by various factors such as age, rurality, access, broadband availability, and more. Discusses policy implications related to broadband access, mental healthcare provider shortages, costs, access, and equity. Includes both nationwide and state-by-state rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): Beth Carter, Olivia Dean, Alex Hartzman, Luis Arzaluz, Aiden Wynia
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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Stand up and Be Counted: Representing More Rural Veterans in Research
Describes the National Institute of Health's (NIH) All of Us Research Program and efforts to increase the representation of rural veterans in the program. Discusses the rural health disparities that the program aims to include in the research project.
Author(s): Angela Lutz
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities And Fatality Rate by Sub-Categories in 2023
Presents projections of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2023. Breaks down data by month, age, sex, and by rural versus urban roads, among other measures. Compares 2022 fatality data to 2023 rates by month for a number of indicators, including rural areas.
Date: 05/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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