This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Exploring Barriers and Promoters of CRC Screening Use among Agricultural Operators: A Pilot Study of an Application of Concept Mapping
Presents results from two agricultural operator focus groups, one of 7 women and the other of 7 men, which took place in rural Nebraska and discussed factors affecting the choice to be screened for colorectal cancer (CRC). Covers cost of care, access, awareness, family and community support, history of CRC, and provider-related variables. Identifies sex-specific factors influencing screening, and discusses approaches to screening promotion for farmers and ranchers.
Author(s): Cheryl Beseler, Jungyoon Kim, Roma Subramanian, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(4), 8413
Date: 12/2023
view details
A Food Access Model in Michigan's Graying America
Presents a model for increasing food access for the aging populations in a rural county in Michigan. Discusses the barriers to food access in the county, highlights specific concerns for each population, and details approaches to overcome those barriers.
Author(s): Wajeeha Kamal, Lily Guiney, Miles Oates
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: American Communities Project
view details
Community Health Partners in Unexpected Places
Examines how health systems partner with community services such as libraries, barber shops, dollar stores, and others to improve access and reduce health disparities in minority and rural populations. Discusses strategies to increase the use of community health partners, such as co-designing with input from the community, procuring funding, building awareness of available programs, and utilizing novel means to conduct day-to-day operations.
Author(s): Michael K. Hole, Sunjay Letchuman, Allister Chang, Leonard L. Berry
Citation: Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 98(12), 1883-1841
Date: 12/2023
view details
Keeping Rural EMS Reliable and Sustainable, with James Small
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring James Small, Rural EMS Outreach Director for the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. Focuses on rural emergency medical services workforce and funding shortages, and how rural EMS can be maintained and expanded.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
America's Health Rankings Annual Report 2023
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 49 measures to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. and 38 additional measures used to track current and emerging health issues at state and national levels. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout, including data on American Indian/Alaska Native populations and metropolitan status.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
view details
Geographic Variations in Driving Time to U.S. Mental Health Care, Digital Access to Technology, & Household Crowdedness
Evaluated distance to mental health services, household crowdedness, and access to technology and broadband alongside rurality to determine barriers to mental healthcare for both rural and urban residents in 31,924 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs). Discusses implications for telehealth and policy measures addressing the digital divide.
Author(s): Sophia N. D. Negaro, Rachel M. Hantman, Janice C. Probst, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 1(6)
Date: 12/2023
view details
Veterans With Blood Cancers: Clinical Trial Navigation and the Challenge of Rurality
Presents a study on the geographic barriers to accessing cancer trials faced by rural veterans. Explored the availability of cancer trials based on rurality and highlights clinical trial deserts. Breaks down demographic data by race, sex, cancer type, and rurality, among other measures.
Author(s): Daphne R. Friedman, Thomas D. Rodgers, Courtney Kovalick, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(1), 114-120
Date: 12/2023
view details
Temporal Trends in Telehealth Availability in Mental Health Treatment Settings: Differences in Growth by State Rurality, 2015–2020
Analyzes trends in telehealth availability at outpatient mental health treatment facilities by rurality and urbanicity at the state level. Utilizes 2015-2020 National Mental Health Services Survey data to evaluate growth preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): George Pro, Brian Fairman, Jure Baloh, Don Willis, Broome E E Montgomery
Citation: Journal of Urban Health, 100(6), 1149-1158
Date: 11/2023
view details
Reaching Rural Communities with HPV Vaccination Messages on a Budget
Discusses the St. Lawrence Health Initiative's human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination education efforts in predominantly rural counties of northern New York. Identifies opportunities for affordable vaccination messaging in nonclinical settings such as community outreach events and schools.
Author(s): Angelina Blank
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
view details
2023 March of Dimes Report Card: The State of Maternal and Infant Health for American Families
Provides information on U.S. and state-level maternal and infant health outcomes. Considers issues such as preterm birth, infant mortality rate, access to health care, policy efforts, social determinants of health, and more. Includes county-level grades of maternal vulnerability.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: March of Dimes
view details