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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Appalachia

Where You Age Matters: Individual- and County-Level Predictors of Formal and Informal Care in Rural Appalachia
Examines the county-level social factors and individual-level personal characteristics of older adults in rural, Appalachian Virginia. Explores how these factors interact to predict if older adults receive formal or informal care and contribute to disparities of care. Discusses implications for researchers and policymakers to better align outreach and service delivery.
Author(s): Jyoti Savla, L. Rebecca Bivens, Karen A. Roberto, Rosemary Blieszner
Citation: Journal of Aging and Health, 31(5), 837-860
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
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Validation of a Dietary Screening Tool in a Middle-Aged Appalachian Population
Examines the use of a dietary screening tool (DST) in assessing the nutritional risk, through surveys, anthropometry, and dietary recalls, in rural older adults living in Appalachia. Includes statistics characteristics and medical history by risk category.
Author(s): Melissa Ventura Marra, Sowmyanarayanan V. Thuppal, Elizabeth J. Johnson, Regan L. Bailey
Citation: Nutrients, 10(3), 345
Date: 03/2018
Type: Document
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COPD & Rural Health: A Dialogue on the National Action Plan
Video of rural health experts discussing the challenges, opportunities, and resources related to the COPD National Action Plan's 5 goals. Presentations feature data including county-level maps on prevalence of COPD and death rates.
Date: 03/2018
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organizations: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health
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Rural Child Welfare Practice
Issue brief discussing the needs and concerns of rural children and families, including healthcare and social services. Examines factors linked to child maltreatment, such as poverty, violence, and substance use, and features descriptions of successful programs designed to promote child welfare in rural areas of Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, and Colorado, as well as Appalachian Ohio and Kentucky.
Date: 02/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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Remarks of Commissioner Mignon Clyburn (as prepared): National Rural Health Association
Statement given at the February 2018 National Rural Health Association (NRHA) Policy Institute. Discusses the goals of the Connect2Health Task Force: to understand the future interplay of broadband, technology, and health policy and to ensure the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stays ahead of the innovation curve. Highlights the FCC's focus of broadband deployment to provide a foundation for health and describes a broadband-enabled project in Appalachian Kentucky created to provide healthcare services to cancer patients.
Author(s): Mignon Clyburn
Date: 02/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Communications Commission
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Community Response Planning for Outbreaks of Hepatitis and HIV among People who Inject Drugs: A Case Study from Lenowisco Health District, A Rural Community in Virginia
Provides guidance to rural health departments when developing a comprehensive community response plan for hepatitis and HIV outbreaks among persons who inject drugs (PWIDs). Integrates key components of controlling and preventing communicable disease with emergency management strategies and community resource utilization. Offers lessons learned from the experiences of the LENOWISCO Health District located in the Appalachian region of Virginia. .
Date: 2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Living With Diabetes in Appalachia: A Focus Group Study
Focus group study in rural West Virginia examining how adults with type 2 diabetes manage the challenges brought on by their condition. Aims to inform holistic nursing practices in Appalachia by analyzing participants' responses to various interview questions.
Author(s): Roger Carpenter, Mary Jane Smith
Citation: Holistic Nursing Practice, 32(4), 196-201
Date: 2018
Type: Document
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Mental Health Disparities: Appalachian People
Breaks down the mental health disparities across Appalachia. Looks at behavioral health indicators, such as rates of depression, excessive drinking, and suicide, among others, as well as social determinants indicators, such as median household income, poverty, and education, among others.
Date: 2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Psychiatric Association
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A Qualitative Process Evaluation of a Diabetes Navigation Program Embedded in an Endocrine Specialty Center in Rural Appalachian Ohio
Describes an evaluation of a diabetes navigation program, a patient program at an endocrine specialty center in rural Appalachian Ohio. Examines program implementation and discusses the experiences of employees working at the specialty center, including navigators, providers, health administrators, and office staff.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Beverly, Jane Hamel-Lambert, Laura L. Jensen, Sue Meeks, Anne Rubin
Citation: BMC Endocrine Disorders, 18, 50
Date: 2018
Type: Document
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Attitudes, Social Norms, and Perceived Behavioral Control Factors Influencing Participation in a Cooking Skills Program in Rural Central Appalachia
Reports the results of a study examining the attitudes, social norms, perceived behaviors, and intentions of central Appalachia residents in Kentucky regarding their motivation and participation in a nutrition education and cooking skills program to improve dietary habits and overall health.
Author(s): Frances Hardin-Fanning, JaNelle M. Ricks
Citation: Global Health Promotion, 24(4), 43-52
Date: 12/2017
Type: Document
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