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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Veteran Suicide: A Growing Problem in Colorado
A suicide prevention brief demonstrating how rural veterans and active duty service members in Colorado are disproportionally affected by suicide. Discusses the mental health status of veterans and barriers to accessing mental health services. Describes several strategies and prevention programs to help prevent veteran suicide.
Author(s): Karam Ahmad, Jaclyn Zubrzycki, Ashlie Brown, et al.
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Health Institute
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Endoscopic Services in the United States: By Whom, for What, and Why?
Discusses the relevance of declining volume of endoscopic procedures in urban and rural areas, from the standpoint of healthcare delivery. Focuses on colorectal cancer screening, assessments of endoscopic quality, and possible solutions, including training in flexible endoscopy.
Author(s): James W. Feimster, John D. Mellinger
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 32(4), 454-456
Date: 07/2019
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Health Needs Assessment of Five Pennsylvania Plain Populations
Offers the results of a health needs assessment for 5 Anabaptist Pennsylvania Plain communities compared with the general state population. Discusses prevalence of genetic diseases and mental health conditions, screenings and vaccinations, and general health outcomes. Provides data on demographics, nutrition, environmental health, and health conditions taken from household surveys conducted in 2014 and 2015 which were designed to represent Plain community views of modern medicine.
Author(s): Kirk Miller, Berwood Yost, Christina Abbott, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13), 2378
Date: 07/2019
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Mental Health Status, Need, and Unmet Need for Mental Health Services Among U.S. Pacific Islanders
Study examining mental health needs for Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders (NHPI) of Marshallese and Samoan descent residing in Los Angeles County and rural Northwest Arkansas. Presents survey data for anxiety, depression, and alcohol use as well as need for, avoidance of, and delay in seeking mental healthcare. Discusses prevalence of these issues among the 223 survey respondents, comparing rural and urban-residing populations and noting disparities by sex.
Author(s): Andrew M. Subica, Nia Aitaoto, Bruce G. Link, et al.
Citation: Psychiatric Services, 70(7), 578-585
Date: 07/2019
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Understanding Symptom Burden in Patients with Advanced Cancer Living in Rural Areas
Explores research methods for understanding differences in rural and urban cancer care, treatment, and symptom-based stressors. Discusses challenges in recruiting and retaining rural study participants and capturing differences between rural patients receiving local care and those receiving care in metro areas. Studies the severity of advanced cancer symptoms for 21 rural patients in Iowa, drawing data from patient surveys. Describes disparities in advanced cancer diagnosis and differences in treatment experiences.
Author(s): Stephanie Gilbertson-White, Yelena Perkhounkova, Seyedehtanaz Saeidzadeh, et al.
Citation: Oncology Nursing Forum, 46(4), 428-441
Date: 07/2019
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Geriatrician Roles and the Value of Geriatrics in an Evolving Healthcare System
Research report focusing on how geriatric roles are changing as healthcare systems and organizations reorganize care. Features information on ways telemedicine is used in geriatric care delivery in rural areas, including the TeleECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) model.
Author(s): Timothy Bates, Aubri Kottek, Joanne Spetz
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: University of California San Francisco Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care
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Critical Crossroads: Pediatric Mental Health Care in the Emergency Department: A Care Pathway Resource Toolkit
Toolkit designed to support hospitals that provide high-quality, effective emergency care to pediatric patients in psychiatric distress. Includes case stories from rural emergency departments in various states.
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organizations: Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau
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Immigrant Doctors Can Help Lower Physician Shortages in Rural America
Report highlighting physician shortages in rural areas and exploring pathways by which immigrants come to practice in those areas. Provides recommendations for state and federal policies that would better incorporate immigrant doctors into the effort to ease healthcare shortages in rural areas. Includes statistics on the number and percentage of International Medical Graduates who were resident physicians in the United States in 2017, with breakdowns by citizenship or visa status.
Author(s): Silva Mathema
Date: 07/2019
Sponsoring organization: Center for American Progress
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State-Level and County-Level Estimates of Health Care Costs Associated with Food Insecurity
Results of a study to estimate state- and county-level healthcare costs associated with food insecurity, using data from the 2011-2013 National Health Interview Survey/Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Features statistics including demographic characteristics of participants, with breakdown by location in a nonmetropolitan area.
Author(s): Seth A. Berkowitz, Sanjay Basu, Craig Gundersen, Hilary K. Seligman
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 16
Date: 07/2019
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Opportunities and Challenges Addressing Access to Healthy Food in Five Rural Louisiana Food Stores
Results of a rural food store intervention implemented in 3 Louisiana parishes where obesity prevalence was greater than 40%. Describes implications for public health and offers recommendations for future interventions.
Author(s): Michelle Kendall, Stephanie T. Broyles, Jamila Freightman, Melissa Cater, Denise Holston
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 16
Date: 07/2019
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