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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Trends in Supply of Nursing Home Beds, 2011-2019
Examines the change in the supply of nursing home beds between 2011 and 2019 while adjusting for the change in the number of older adults in the population. Presents data on the characteristics of counties where the supply of nursing home beds has changed, including rurality and census region. Describes the characteristics of the nursing home beds in counties where the supply has changed, including the percent change in 4- and 5-star beds, for-profit beds, and chain-affiliated beds.
Author(s): Katherine E. M. Miller, Paula Chatterjee, Rachel M. Werner
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(3), e230640
Date: 01/2023
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Childcare Need and Availability in Rural Areas: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Presents the findings from the 90th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services examining the availability and accessibility of childcare services in rural communities. Provides recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services on actions supporting rural childcare. Discusses the efforts of the American Rescue Plan Act funding, and the effects of COVID-19 and the Public Health Emergency on childcare access and availability.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Access to Oral Health Workforce Report: Part II
Evaluates and discusses patient access to oral healthcare in Pennsylvania. Provides demographic and well-being information, and analysis of variables affecting workforce outcomes and access to care. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Sean G. Boynes, Helen Hawkey, Kelly A. Braun, et al.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Pennsylvania Coalition for Oral Health
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Recommendations for Strengthening Iowa's Community-Based Services System: Final Evaluation Report
Provides an overview of Iowa's Medicaid home- and community-based services and programs, as well as the policies and procedures to access those services. Offers recommendations on three approaches that can improve equity, quality, efficiency, coordination, transparency, and accountability. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Mathematica, The Harkin Institute
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January 2023 MACPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) January 2023 meeting. Covers Medicaid data collection and reporting, nursing facility provider payment principles, challenges for states administering Medicaid home- and community-based services and access barriers for Medicaid beneficiaries, Medicaid managed care quality oversight, the unwinding of the Public Health Emergency, and more. Includes rural references and considerations throughout.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Pre-Pandemic Geographic Access to Hospital-Based Telehealth for Cancer Care in the United States
Explores the availability of telehealth and oncology services across geographic and sociodemographic domains before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizes 2019 and 2020 data sources to examine hospital characteristics by telehealth and oncology services, with information on hospital ownership, number of hospital beds, Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) status, presence of Rural Health Clinic (RHC) co-located at hospital, and more. Includes availability of telehealth, oncology, and hospital services broken down by county; HPSA status; income, average age, and race/ethnicity of residents; ratio of population to primary care physicians; rural noncore, rural micropolitan, or urban status; and more.
Author(s): David I. Shalowitz, Peiyin Hung, Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan Eberth
Citation: PLoS One, 18(1)
Date: 01/2023
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Challenges with Vaccination Data Hinder State and Local Immunization Program Efforts to Combat COVID-19
Presents results of a December 2021 survey of 56 state and local immunization programs regarding whether they receive individual-level COVID-19 vaccination data from Federal agencies and retail pharmacy partners. Discusses the impact of having incomplete individual-level vaccination data on reaching unvaccinated and vulnerable populations, including rural populations and American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). Includes recommendations for the CDC to mitigate data gaps and ensure that state and local immunization programs are aware of existing tools to address vaccination campaign needs.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Early Challenges Highlight Areas for Improvement in COVID-19 Vaccination Programs
Explores challenges faced by 56 state, local, and territorial immunization programs in implementing COVID-19 vaccination programs, including challenges to reaching rural and underserved populations. Discusses mitigation strategies the immunization programs implemented to address those challenges. Includes recommendations for the CDC to improve the efficiency and equity of the COVID-19 vaccination programs.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Not Enough Food on the Dinner Table: A Look into Food Insecurity among Hispanics/Latinos Living in Rural Communities in the United States
Discusses food insecurity among Hispanics/Latinos in the U.S. and provides program and policy recommendations to improve food access. Reports on a 2022 needs assessment that includes a literature review, socio-demographic survey, focus group with rural Latino adults, and interviews with community-based organizations (CBOs). Offers strategies such as wellness and nutrition education, culturally sensitive engagement, and technology to improve access.
Author(s): Melawhy Garcia, Natalia Gatdula, Vanessa Torres, et al.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Latino Community Health Evaluation and Leadership Training, UnidosUS
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Geographic Access to Pediatric Cancer Care in the US
Examines estimated travel time for various populations to access pediatric cancer care in the United States. Analyzes data from more than 90 million children and adolescents and young adults (AYAs) extracted from 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Includes demographic breakdowns of median travel time by race/ethnicity, age, health insurance status, area deprivation index (ADI), U.S. region, and urban, large town, small town, or rural location. Provides maps that show travel time from population centroids of U.S. ZIP code tabulation areas as well as per capita pediatric oncologist supply by Census division and state.
Author(s): Xiaohui Liu, Mark N. Fluchel, Anne C. Kirchhoff, Haojie Zhu, Tracy Onega
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(1), e2251524
Date: 01/2023
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