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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by State: North Carolina

Characterizing Social Insecurity in a Rural North Carolina Emergency Department
Results of a study exploring, characterizing, and quantifying the social insecurity profile of emergency department patients at a rural teaching hospital in southeastern North Carolina with a large Native American population. Uses data from a survey questionnaire administered in May and June 2018, focusing on food insecurity, transportation insecurity, and exposure to violence.
Author(s): Elizabeth Gignac, Godwin Y. Dogbey, Aleksandr Pevtsov, et al.
Citation: Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 24(3), 538–546
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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Community Health Centers Seek to Prepare Medicaid Beneficiaries, and Themselves, for the Risks Ahead
Explores how Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), including an FQHC serving rural North Carolina, are helping Medicaid beneficiaries stay enrolled or find alternate coverage during the post-COVID-19 redetermination process. Describes how operations of these FQHCs have been changed by funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and pandemic-related regulatory flexibilities.
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Photovoice Reveals Residents' Concerns for Air and Water Quality in Industry-Impacted Rural Community
Provides results of utilizing the photovoice method to assess how a predominantly Black community in rural North Carolina perceives their health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Discusses issues such as environmental justice, the impact of landfill and confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) on population health, and the benefits of using photovoice to research environmental health in underserved areas.
Author(s): Shelby M. Rimmler, Sarah Shaughnessy, Ellis Tatum, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(9), 5656
Date: 05/2023
Type: Document
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2023 North Carolina Rural Health Snapshot
Presents data on rural North Carolina demographics, health information, and healthcare infrastructure. Offers statistics on issues including food access, income, healthcare coverage, maternal health, behavioral health, housing, internet access, and more.
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation, North Carolina Rural Health Association
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Factors Associated with Lengths-of-Stay for Inpatients with Substance Use Disorders
Policy brief identifying factors associated with inpatient length-of-stay (LOS) for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) and exploring whether there are systematic differences in LOS for rural and urban residents. Includes statistics on characteristics of stays for a primary SUD diagnosis in Kentucky, North Carolina, Vermont, and Washington in 2018, with breakdowns by Mental Health Professional Shortage Area and rural or urban location, and selected factors on LOS for an SUD diagnosis, with breakdowns by mental diagnoses, chronic conditions, and socio-demographic measures.
Author(s): Curt Mueller, Craig Holden, Shena Popat, Alana Knudson
Date: 04/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Equity Research Center
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Forces Driving Change in Rural North Carolina
Examines major forces driving change in rural North Carolina communities, which influence people, communities, and businesses. Includes sections on rural healthcare inequities, social determinants of health, and the long-term impact of COVID-19 on rural people. Features a county-level map showing health outcome rankings as of 2022, and statistics on the number of healthcare professionals per 10,000 people, with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas. Also contains interactive drivers, which present expanded coverage of selected topics and include interactable maps and graphs.
Additional links: Interactive Driver - A Rural NC for Everyone, Interactive Driver - Education for Tomorrow's Labor Market, Interactive Driver - Rural Healthcare Inequities and Social Determinants of Health
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Center
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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Periodontal Health among Adults Seeking Dental Care in Rural North Carolina Communities: A Retrospective Study
Examines the prevalence of periodontitis in adults seen in dental clinics in rural North Carolina. Analyzes 10,544 electronic health records (EHRs) from 2011 to 2017 to observe periodontitis prevalence by age, race and ethnicity, tobacco use, diabetes diagnosis, and payer status. Discusses health disparities present in various sociodemographic groups.
Author(s): Alex Gillone, Acela A. Martinez Luna, Qiang Wu, et al.
Citation: Journal of Periodontology, 94(3), 364-375
Date: 03/2023
Type: Document
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The State of Healthcare in North Carolina: 2022 Impact Report
Examines contributions to the people and economy of North Carolina by the 130 members of the North Carolina Heathcare Association. Describes key issues facing North Carolina health systems, including access and innovation, workforce development and retention, health equity, and behavioral health. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Healthcare Association
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Barriers, Facilitators, and Opportunities to Promote Healthy Weight Behaviors among Preschool-Aged Children in Two Rural U.S Communities
Examines barriers, facilitators, and opportunities related to supporting wellness and healthy weight in rural preschool children. Utilizes focus group interviews with parents, caregivers, and community organizations as well as observation of built environment to assess healthy eating and physical activity resources. Discusses wellness barriers and facilitators for preschool children at the family, organization, and community levels.
Author(s): Katherine Jochim Pope, Cason Whitcomb, Maihan Vu, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health 23, 53
Date: 01/2023
Type: Document
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Health Equity in Rural America, with Alana Knudson, Luciana Rocha, and Paula Swepson
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast focused on rural health equity. Features Alana Knudson and Luciana Rocha of NORC's Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis providing an overview of rural health equity, and Paula Swepson sharing the work of the West Marion Community Forum Inc. in McDowell County, North Carolina.
Date: 01/2023
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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