Rural Health
Resources by State: Kentucky
Losses, Gains, and Changes to the Food Environment in a Rural Kentucky County during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study conducted in rural Laurel County, Kentucky, regarding changes to the food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers suggestions for future programming to address inequitable access and response during public health emergencies.
Author(s): Makenzie L. Barr, Courtney Martin, Courtney Luecking, Kathryn Cardarelli
Citation: Nutrients, 13(11), 3929
Date: 11/2021
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Results of a study conducted in rural Laurel County, Kentucky, regarding changes to the food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers suggestions for future programming to address inequitable access and response during public health emergencies.
Author(s): Makenzie L. Barr, Courtney Martin, Courtney Luecking, Kathryn Cardarelli
Citation: Nutrients, 13(11), 3929
Date: 11/2021
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Emergence of Wasp Dope in Rural Appalachian Kentucky
Surveyed 278 Appalachian Kentucky adult residents between February 2018 and April 2019 that had used opioids or injected drugs in the previous 30 days about their use of "wasp dope," a drug made from insecticides. Discusses factors associated with wasp dope use. Includes break down of study participants by level of rurality.
Author(s): April M. Young, Melvin Livingston, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Hannah L.F. Cooper
Citation: Addiction, 116(7), 1901-1907
Date: 07/2021
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Surveyed 278 Appalachian Kentucky adult residents between February 2018 and April 2019 that had used opioids or injected drugs in the previous 30 days about their use of "wasp dope," a drug made from insecticides. Discusses factors associated with wasp dope use. Includes break down of study participants by level of rurality.
Author(s): April M. Young, Melvin Livingston, Rachel Vickers-Smith, Hannah L.F. Cooper
Citation: Addiction, 116(7), 1901-1907
Date: 07/2021
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Physical Activity Barriers and Assets in Rural Appalachian Kentucky: A Mixed-Methods Study
Study examining barriers, resources, and community support for physical activity to address obesity in rural Appalachia, focusing on Martin County, Kentucky. Describes data related to physical activity, social determinants of health, and physical environment for a cohort of 152 people and 34 focus group participants.
Author(s): Natalie Jones, Dierdre Dlugonski, Rachel Gillespie, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7646
Date: 07/2021
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Study examining barriers, resources, and community support for physical activity to address obesity in rural Appalachia, focusing on Martin County, Kentucky. Describes data related to physical activity, social determinants of health, and physical environment for a cohort of 152 people and 34 focus group participants.
Author(s): Natalie Jones, Dierdre Dlugonski, Rachel Gillespie, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7646
Date: 07/2021
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Trends in Drug Overdose Mortality Rates in Kentucky, 2019-2020
Evaluates the changes in drug overdose mortality rates for Kentucky residents, using provisional 2020 death certificate data from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics. Features statistics on Kentucky drug overdose deaths by month from 2011-2020, and Kentucky drug overdose mortality rates and rate ratios by demographic group from 2019-2020, with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan residence.
Author(s): Svetla Slavova, Dana Quesinberry, Sarah Hargrove, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7)
Date: 07/2021
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Evaluates the changes in drug overdose mortality rates for Kentucky residents, using provisional 2020 death certificate data from the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics. Features statistics on Kentucky drug overdose deaths by month from 2011-2020, and Kentucky drug overdose mortality rates and rate ratios by demographic group from 2019-2020, with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan residence.
Author(s): Svetla Slavova, Dana Quesinberry, Sarah Hargrove, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(7)
Date: 07/2021
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Community-Based Efforts Aim to Improve the Food Environment within a Highly Obese Rural Appalachian County
Discusses efforts to improve nutrition of rural Appalachian citizens through community-developed marketing strategies. Examines statistical differences in food purchases at 5 Kentucky gas stations before and after healthier options were noted on station shelves via a "Smart Snack" logo.
Author(s): Rachel Gillespie, Emily DeWitt, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Brynnan Dunnaway, Alison Gustafson
Citation: Nutrients, 13(7), 2200
Date: 06/2021
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Discusses efforts to improve nutrition of rural Appalachian citizens through community-developed marketing strategies. Examines statistical differences in food purchases at 5 Kentucky gas stations before and after healthier options were noted on station shelves via a "Smart Snack" logo.
Author(s): Rachel Gillespie, Emily DeWitt, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Brynnan Dunnaway, Alison Gustafson
Citation: Nutrients, 13(7), 2200
Date: 06/2021
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Understanding Declining Rates of Drug Overdose Mortality in Eastern Kentucky
Identifies policies and strategies that might have contributed to the decline in drug overdose mortality in the 5-year periods from 2008-2012 to 2013-2017 in 8 counties in eastern Kentucky. Offers recommendations for approaches that could be implemented in other communities. Includes statistics on overdose mortality in 8 eastern Kentucky counties; a county-level map showing changes in rates of overdose mortality in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Ohio; and a graph showing rates of overdose mortality in the Appalachian counties of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia from 1999-2019.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organizations: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health
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Identifies policies and strategies that might have contributed to the decline in drug overdose mortality in the 5-year periods from 2008-2012 to 2013-2017 in 8 counties in eastern Kentucky. Offers recommendations for approaches that could be implemented in other communities. Includes statistics on overdose mortality in 8 eastern Kentucky counties; a county-level map showing changes in rates of overdose mortality in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Ohio; and a graph showing rates of overdose mortality in the Appalachian counties of Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia from 1999-2019.
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organizations: NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health
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Broadband in Rural America: Faster Speeds for Home and Healthcare
Highlights the importance of rural broadband infrastructure for access to telehealth, patient portals, and other services. Features a Colorado countywide broadband program, Alabama telehealth services provided via county health departments, and a program providing healthcare access to rural veterans in Kentucky.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Highlights the importance of rural broadband infrastructure for access to telehealth, patient portals, and other services. Features a Colorado countywide broadband program, Alabama telehealth services provided via county health departments, and a program providing healthcare access to rural veterans in Kentucky.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Promising Flex Program Initiatives to Support Critical Access Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Reports on promising State Flex Program (SFP) strategies to support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and address priority needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights initiatives implemented by SFPs in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Discusses strategies regarding support for frontline staff, staff communication, communication to rural communities, clinical and service improvement, and CAH and Rural Health Clinic financial performance. Discusses ongoing considerations and concerns.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Sara Kahn-Troster, John Gale
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Reports on promising State Flex Program (SFP) strategies to support Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and address priority needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights initiatives implemented by SFPs in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Discusses strategies regarding support for frontline staff, staff communication, communication to rural communities, clinical and service improvement, and CAH and Rural Health Clinic financial performance. Discusses ongoing considerations and concerns.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Sara Kahn-Troster, John Gale
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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States Work to Support Rural Hospitals Despite Pandemic Challenges
Blog post highlighting state-level policies to address and prevent rural hospital closures. Discusses proposals in state legislatures regarding alternative payment methodologies and funding, service delivery models, and the recruitment and retention of a rural healthcare workforce.
Author(s): Beth Giambrone
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Blog post highlighting state-level policies to address and prevent rural hospital closures. Discusses proposals in state legislatures regarding alternative payment methodologies and funding, service delivery models, and the recruitment and retention of a rural healthcare workforce.
Author(s): Beth Giambrone
Date: 04/2021
Sponsoring organization: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
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Geographic Expansion of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations: Assessing Access to Primary Care in Nonmetropolitan Counties
Presents a study on primary care access for Medicaid beneficiaries in nonmetropolitan counties who were enrolled through managed care organizations (MCOs) from 2012 to 2018. Details the level of access to primary care in the nonmetropolitan counties of 15 states and compares the rates of access for beneficiaries enrolled through MCOs established before 2012 and after 2012. Discusses findings and makes recommendations for policy makers.
Author(s): Linda Li, Matthew Najarian, Abigail R. Barker, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Presents a study on primary care access for Medicaid beneficiaries in nonmetropolitan counties who were enrolled through managed care organizations (MCOs) from 2012 to 2018. Details the level of access to primary care in the nonmetropolitan counties of 15 states and compares the rates of access for beneficiaries enrolled through MCOs established before 2012 and after 2012. Discusses findings and makes recommendations for policy makers.
Author(s): Linda Li, Matthew Najarian, Abigail R. Barker, et al.
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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