Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
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
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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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
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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VA Health Care: Additional Assessments of Mileage Reimbursement Data and Veterans' Travel Costs Needed
Provides an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) mileage reimbursement benefit that reimburses eligible veterans for the use of personal vehicles to attend VHA-approved care. Explores the extent to which the benefit helps defray travel costs by describing the distance a veteran would have to travel to receive a non-zero reimbursement across a variety of conditions. Presents VHA data on veterans' use of the benefit from fiscal years 2010 through 2023, as well as fuel costs incurred and mileage reimbursement for hypothetical trips to 3 VA health systems by rurality. Offers recommendations to the VA and VHA on the collection and assessment of veterans' use of the mileage reimbursement benefit and how travel costs vary by subpopulations, such as rural veterans.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) mileage reimbursement benefit that reimburses eligible veterans for the use of personal vehicles to attend VHA-approved care. Explores the extent to which the benefit helps defray travel costs by describing the distance a veteran would have to travel to receive a non-zero reimbursement across a variety of conditions. Presents VHA data on veterans' use of the benefit from fiscal years 2010 through 2023, as well as fuel costs incurred and mileage reimbursement for hypothetical trips to 3 VA health systems by rurality. Offers recommendations to the VA and VHA on the collection and assessment of veterans' use of the mileage reimbursement benefit and how travel costs vary by subpopulations, such as rural veterans.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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For the Rural Curious: Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Rural Pharmacy Practice Elective
Discusses the impact of a rural pharmacy course offered at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy to provide students with experience related to serving rural communities struggling with provider shortages. Includes survey data on student experiences and interest in working in rural areas following graduation.
Author(s): Timothy P. Stratton
Citation: BMC Medical Education, 24, 573
Date: 05/2024
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Discusses the impact of a rural pharmacy course offered at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy to provide students with experience related to serving rural communities struggling with provider shortages. Includes survey data on student experiences and interest in working in rural areas following graduation.
Author(s): Timothy P. Stratton
Citation: BMC Medical Education, 24, 573
Date: 05/2024
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Using mHealth to Reduce Disparities in Black Maternal Health: Perspectives from Black Rural Postpartum Mothers
Provides an overview of factors impacting Black maternal health in rural Georgia. Describes research regarding mobile health (mHealth) as a tool for advancing sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Summarizes findings from group interviews with 14 women and identifies themes related to facilitators and barriers to postpartum transitional care for rural Black women.
Author(s): Natalie Hernandez-Green, Morgan V. Davis, Oluyemi Farinu, et al.
Citation: Women's Health, 20
Date: 05/2024
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Provides an overview of factors impacting Black maternal health in rural Georgia. Describes research regarding mobile health (mHealth) as a tool for advancing sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Summarizes findings from group interviews with 14 women and identifies themes related to facilitators and barriers to postpartum transitional care for rural Black women.
Author(s): Natalie Hernandez-Green, Morgan V. Davis, Oluyemi Farinu, et al.
Citation: Women's Health, 20
Date: 05/2024
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Veterans Affairs: Actions Needed to Improve Access to Care in the U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States
Examines how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates the population of veterans in the U.S. territories and freely associated states (FAS) to inform resource allocation and outreach needs. Describes how the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) monitors veterans' use of and access to healthcare services at VHA facilities in the U.S. territories. Discusses challenges veterans face in accessing VHA services in the U.S. territories and FAS and VA efforts to address these challenges. Offers recommendations to the VA and Department of Defense to assess the data sources in its model for estimating the veteran population and its travel benefits policies for territory veterans.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines how the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates the population of veterans in the U.S. territories and freely associated states (FAS) to inform resource allocation and outreach needs. Describes how the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) monitors veterans' use of and access to healthcare services at VHA facilities in the U.S. territories. Discusses challenges veterans face in accessing VHA services in the U.S. territories and FAS and VA efforts to address these challenges. Offers recommendations to the VA and Department of Defense to assess the data sources in its model for estimating the veteran population and its travel benefits policies for territory veterans.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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A Look at the Latest Alcohol Death Data and Change Over the Last Decade
Describes findings from an analysis of 2012 to 2022 CDC WONDER data regarding trends in deaths caused by conditions directly attributable to alcohol consumption, also referred to as alcohol-induced deaths or alcohol deaths. Presents data on alcohol death rates in 2022 and over time by race and ethnicity, age, sex, state, and rurality. Discusses factors that may contribute to increases in alcohol deaths since 2012.
Author(s): Heather Saunders, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Describes findings from an analysis of 2012 to 2022 CDC WONDER data regarding trends in deaths caused by conditions directly attributable to alcohol consumption, also referred to as alcohol-induced deaths or alcohol deaths. Presents data on alcohol death rates in 2022 and over time by race and ethnicity, age, sex, state, and rurality. Discusses factors that may contribute to increases in alcohol deaths since 2012.
Author(s): Heather Saunders, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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School-Based Health Centers as an Approach to Address Health Disparities among Rural Youth: A Study Protocol for a Multilevel Research Framework
Describes a study protocol to evaluate the impact of school-based health centers (SBHCs) on healthcare utilization, health outcomes, and education in rural, disadvantaged New York counties. Discusses risk factor identification and data collection at the individual, school district, and community levels.
Author(s): Xue Zhang, Mildred E. Warner, Sharon Tennyson, et al.
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(5), e0303660
Date: 05/2024
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Describes a study protocol to evaluate the impact of school-based health centers (SBHCs) on healthcare utilization, health outcomes, and education in rural, disadvantaged New York counties. Discusses risk factor identification and data collection at the individual, school district, and community levels.
Author(s): Xue Zhang, Mildred E. Warner, Sharon Tennyson, et al.
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(5), e0303660
Date: 05/2024
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Thrive 2023: Veterans Health Administration Office of Rural Health Annual Report
Details a report on the objectives and outcomes of the VA's Office of Rural Health's (ORH) mission to improve the health and well being of rural veterans. Presents the ORH's efforts to improve access and quality of care, as well as plans to address future challenges.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Details a report on the objectives and outcomes of the VA's Office of Rural Health's (ORH) mission to improve the health and well being of rural veterans. Presents the ORH's efforts to improve access and quality of care, as well as plans to address future challenges.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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State Innovations to Advance Respite Care: Policy Strategies Shared at the State-Federal Respite Summit
Presents strategies utilized by states to improve access to and quality of respite care services for family caregivers. Strategies cover awareness and outreach, respite workforce education, and serving diverse populations. Highlights strategies from Colorado, North Dakota, and Oklahoma focused on rural areas.
Author(s): Kimberly Hodges, Ella Taggart, Salom Teshale
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Presents strategies utilized by states to improve access to and quality of respite care services for family caregivers. Strategies cover awareness and outreach, respite workforce education, and serving diverse populations. Highlights strategies from Colorado, North Dakota, and Oklahoma focused on rural areas.
Author(s): Kimberly Hodges, Ella Taggart, Salom Teshale
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Examining the Dental Care Crisis in America: How Can We Make Dental Care More Affordable and More Available?
Recording of a May 16, 2024, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions hearing on the accessibility and affordability of dental care, including in rural areas. Features testimony from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
Additional links: Myechia Minter-Jordan, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Recording of a May 16, 2024, U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions hearing on the accessibility and affordability of dental care, including in rural areas. Features testimony from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
Additional links: Myechia Minter-Jordan, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health - Testimony
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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