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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by State: Pennsylvania

High COVID-19 Mortality Risk in Pennsylvania's Rural Counties
Discusses the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death in Pennsylvania rural counties, due to high prevalence rates of chronic disease and percentage of populations age 65 or older. Features a map showing variation in chronic health comorbidities in Pennsylvania counties.
Additional links: Interactive Map
Author(s): Raeven Faye Chandler, Shannon M. Monnat, Yue Sun
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
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"It's on Us": Healthcare's Unique Position in the Response to Human Trafficking
Provides an overview of human trafficking and explains the role healthcare providers can play in addressing this issue in rural communities. Features a rural hospital CEO, a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) director, a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, and a Safe Harbor Regional Navigator sharing their experiences combating human trafficking.
Author(s): Jenn Lukens
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Pennsylvania Hospital Transitions HRSA-Funded Program to Online Services and Addresses COVID-19 Stress
Features Butler Memorial Hospital and how it adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights the switch to online delivery for a chronic disease project funded by a HRSA Rural Health Care Services Outreach grant. Also describes initiatives to address healthcare workforce stress, help patients use tablets to visit with loved ones, and distribute healthy food to the community.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Pennsylvania Mental Health Care Workforce Shortage: Challenges and Solutions: A Staff Study
Provides a discussion of mental healthcare workforce occupations and examines the factors that led to shortages in these fields. Describes how telemedicine can be used to extend the mental healthcare workforce in rural Pennsylvania and determines how state government entities can encourage more people to enter and remain in the mental healthcare workforce. Makes recommendations including increasing the number of psychiatric residencies in rural areas and designating more Rural Health Clinics. Includes a county-level map of Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Author(s): Grant Rosul, Stephen J. Kramer, Wendy L. Baker
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Joint State Government Commission, General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
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Improving Rural Health: State Policy Options for Increasing Access to Care
Discusses strategies from state legislatures and other stakeholders to increase access to healthcare in rural areas. Focuses on policies and policy options for state legislatures in three areas: improving health insurance coverage, safeguarding rural health facilities, and changing rural healthcare delivery. Features examples from Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Author(s): Jack Pitsor
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Long-Term Exposure to Particulate Air Pollution and Brachial Artery Flow-Mediated Dilation in the Old Order Amish
Analyzes atmospheric particulate matter (PM) in a homogenous, rural Pennsylvanian population of Amish participants to assess endothelial dysfunction, which is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Reports air pollution exposure estimates over a 12-month period.
Author(s): Shabnam Salimi, Jeff D. Yanosky, Dina Huang, et al.
Citation: Environmental Health, 19(50)
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
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Spatial Patterns in Prostate Cancer-Specific Mortality in Pennsylvania Using Pennsylvania Cancer Registry Data, 2004–2014
Analyzes data from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry between 2004 and 2014 to examine the mortality risk of prostate cancer for men aged 40 or older living in rural and urban Appalachian areas in Pennsylvania.
Author(s): Ming Wang, Emily Wasserman, Nathaniel Geyer, et al.
Citation: BMC Cancer, 20, 394
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
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COVID-19 and Rural Hospital Struggles
Recording of a May 14, 2020, webinar on healthcare delivery and financial challenges facing rural hospitals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Features leaders from health systems in Iowa, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Transcript available by clicking the dots above the video description, then selecting Show Transcript.
Date: 05/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Availability of Hospice in Rural Pennsylvania
Compares the distribution and number of hospices in rural and urban Pennsylvania counties, provides a descriptive profile of rural Pennsylvania's hospice users, and projects the number of future Pennsylvania hospice users. Includes information from interviews with hospice providers and administrators to help understand challenges and opportunities for stakeholders. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban location and nonprofit or for-profit status, and a county-level map showing locations of Pennsylvania hospices as of 2019.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Lisa Kitko, Joel Segel, Elizabeth Thiede
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Pennsylvania Department of Human Services - COVID-19 Guidance & Resources​
Offers COVID-19 related information and resources focused on human services for providers, individuals, families and businesses. Topics covered include child care, income maintenance, long-term living, medical assistance programs, and mental health and substance abuse services.
Date: 04/2020
Type: Website
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
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