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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access

Assessment of US Preventive Services Task Force Guideline-Concordant Cervical Cancer Screening Rates and Reasons for Underscreening by Age, Race and Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Rurality, and Insurance, 2005 to 2019
Results of a study of screening-eligible women who do not have up-to-date cervical cancer screenings, exploring their primary reasons for not receiving timely screening. Features demographic statistics including breakdowns by urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Ryan Suk, Young-Rock Hong, Suja S. Rajan, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(1)
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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2020 Indiana Physician Assistant Workforce Brief
Information on demographics, education and practice characteristics, and distribution of Indiana physician assistants (PAs), based on data from PAs who renewed their licenses online and are actively practicing in Indiana or providing telemedicine services to Indiana residents. Includes a county-level map showing population to PA ratios, with a comparison of numbers of PAs in rural and urban counties.
Author(s): Hannah L. Maxey, Courtney Medlock
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Aligning Systems to Advance Family and Community Well-Being: A Partnership Playbook for Community Action and Human Services Agencies
Provides an overview of how community action and human service agencies partnered, collaborated, and aligned services to address COVID-19 on a family-level and a systems-level. Presents field examples of partnerships in rural Maryland and rural Ohio with their successes and challenges when aligning services such as Head Start, housing assistance, and more. Discusses how rural models and strategies were employed in other geographic areas to mitigate COVID-19 issues in communities.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: American Public Human Services Association, Community Action Partnership
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Access to Mental Health Services in Rural Pennsylvania
Results of a study to assess the demand for mental health services in rural Pennsylvania, with a focus on youth and the elderly. Identifies challenges these populations face in accessing mental health care to provide options for improving and expanding mental healthcare services for underserved rural Pennsylvanians. Features demographics and statistics on health and mental health needs in rural Pennsylvania, with breakdowns by county.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Author(s): Juliana Svistova, Ahyoung Lee, Christopher Harris, et al.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Assessment of the Capacity of Virginia's Licensed Behavioral Health Workforce
Provides statewide and locality-specific data on the capacity of each of Virginia's licensed behavioral health (BH) professional types, data regarding Virginia's pipeline to produce more BH professionals, current demand for them, and the consequences of an inadequate supply. Features county-level maps showing distribution of psychiatrists, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, and licensed professional counselors, and a map showing Virginia Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas with limited broadband service.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Health Care Foundation
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The Effectiveness of Policies to Improve Primary Care Access for Underserved Populations: An Assessment of the Literature
Review of research literature to assess whether policy initiatives targeting primary care access for rural and underserved populations has been effective in reducing healthcare disparities. Initiatives considered include availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, and acceptability.
Additional links: Fact Sheet: Alleviating Structural Barriers to Obtaining Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Bringing Outpatient Clinics into Communities, Fact Sheet: Ensuring Comfort and Communication in the Delivery of Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Increasing the Availability of Primary Care Clinicians, Fact Sheet: Removing Financial Barriers to Primary Care
Author(s): Maanasa Kona, Megan Houston, Nia Gooding
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Integrating SUD and OB/GYN Care: Policy Challenges and Opportunities Final Report
Describes opportunities to integrate obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) and substance use disorder (SUD) care to address treatment opportunities and reduce the impacts of SUD on mothers, children, and healthcare spending. Provides a review of literature on the effectiveness of integrated OB/GYN and SUD models, a scan of integrated models. Summarizes selected findings from subject matter experts on incentives for integrated OB/GYN and SUD models, as well as state and federal policy options to encourage the expansion of integrated OB/GYN and SUD care. Includes rural references throughout.
Author(s): Julie Seibert, Erin Dobbins, Elysha Theis, et al.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, RTI International
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A Qualitative Study on Pharmacy Policies Toward Over-the-Counter Syringe Sales in a Rural Epicenter of US Drug-Related Epidemics
Examines pharmacy over-the-counter (OTC) policies and pharmacists' rationale for, and barriers and facilitators to, OTC syringe sales in a rural Appalachian Kentucky area hard hit by drug-related epidemics. Uses data collected from interviews with 14 pharmacists between February 2018 and January 2019.
Author(s): Monica Fadanelli, Hannah L. F. Cooper, Patricia R. Freeman, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 19(1)
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
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Access Granted: Rural Broadband Options, Obstacles, and Solutions
Report describing the importance of broadband access for rural education, healthcare, economic development, equality, and climate impact. Discusses connectivity options and barriers to expanding broadband infrastructure, and examines consumer, community, and policy actions to reduce barriers and expand access.
Author(s): Molly Malone
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Affairs
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Virginia Rural Health Plan 2022-2026
Identifies key objectives and priorities for rural health in Virginia including broadband access, healthy housing, transportation, nutrition and food security, maternal and child health, access to healthcare services, behavioral health, aging in place, and workforce development. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and nonrural areas.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Virginia State Office of Rural Health
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