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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Appalachia

Drug Use, Hepatitis C, and Service Availability: Perspectives of Incarcerated Rural Women
Examines drug use and the health consequences of drug use, hepatitis C, and health service availability among a high-risk sample of women serving time in jail for drug use. Data was collected from a sample of 22 female offenders incarcerated in 3 jail facilities located in rural Appalachia.
Author(s): Michele Staton-Tindall, J. Matthew Webster, Carrie B. Oser, Jennifer R. Havens, Carl G. Leukefeld
Citation: Social Work in Public Health, 30(4) 385–396
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
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College Students as Facilitators in Reducing Adolescent Obesity Disparity in Southern Appalachia: Team Up for Healthy Living
Describes a peer-based obesity prevention program focused on healthy eating and physical activity for rural Appalachian high school students, with college students serving as facilitators.
Author(s): Deborah Leachman Slawson, William T. Dalton, Taylor McKeehan Dula, et al.
Citation: Contemporary Clinical Trials, 43, 39-52
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
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Rural Ambulatory Access for Semi-Urgent Care and the Relationship of Distance to an Emergency Department
Examines how distance to emergency departments and urgent care facilities impact semi-urgent ambulatory appointments. Assesses the effect of insurance coverage and ability to pay cash on a patient's achievement in scheduling appointments in rural and suburban areas along the Appalachian Trail.
Author(s): Ashley Parks, Andy Hoegh, Damon Kuehl
Citation: Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 16(4), 594-599
Date: 07/2015
Type: Document
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Adjuvant Therapy Use Among Appalachian Breast Cancer Survivors
Explores adjuvant hormone therapy behaviors in a four-state region of Appalachia. Evaluates the influences on adherence to the therapy, especially issues of access to cancer care resources in rural areas of the region.
Author(s): Xi Tan, Vincent D. Marshall, Roger T. Anderson, et al.
Citation: Medicine, 94(26), e1071
Date: 06/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Cancer Institute
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Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Delay Within Appalachia – The Role of For-Profit Hospitals
Discusses the timeliness of colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment in rural hospitals of the Appalachian regions of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. Study uses data from the 2006-2008 Central Cancer Registry (CCR) as well as Medicare claims to identify delays between diagnosis and treatment in healthcare facilities with various funding models.
Author(s): Eric E. Seiber, Fabian Camacho, Muhammad Fazal Zeeshan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 31(4), 382-391
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
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National Advisory Committee on Rural Health & Human Services Meeting Minutes, Slade, Kentucky, May 27-29, 2015
Provides a summary of the 77th meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. Discusses health disparities in Appalachia, social determinants of health, including poverty and economic development, and how federal programs are working to address these issues.
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Increases in Hepatitis C Virus Infection Related to Injection Drug Use Among Persons Aged ≤30 Years - Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, 2006-2012
Discusses opioid abuse, drug injecting, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in central Appalachia, with data on HCV infection rates for four states. Includes data for rural and urban areas by gender and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Jon E. Zibbell, Kashif Iqbal, Rajiv C. Patel, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 64(17), 453-458
Date: 05/2015
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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A Rural Appalachian Faith-Placed Smoking Cessation Intervention
Describes a faith-oriented smoking cessation program comprising 590 smokers in 26 churches located in rural Appalachia. Discusses 3 themes identified by the participants' evaluation of the program including the program's ability to leverage social connections, be conveniently orientated, and to provide financial support for smoking cessation.
Author(s): Nancy E. Schoenberg, Henry E. Bundy, Jordan A. Baeker Bispo, et al.
Citation: Journal of Religion and Health, 54(2), 598-611
Date: 04/2015
Type: Document
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An Exploratory Study of Mental Health and HIV Risk Behavior among Drug-Using Rural Women in Jail
Examines HIV risk behaviors and mental health conditions through face-to-face interviews with 136 women incarcerated in three rural Kentucky county jails within Appalachia. Includes data and statistics on substance use and HIV risk behaviors for women with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Author(s): Michele Staton-Tindall, Kathi L.H. Harp, Alexandra Minieri, et al.
Citation: Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 38(1), 45-54
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
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Knowledge and Perceptions of Tobacco-Related Media in Rural Appalachia
Examines the perceptions of tobacco-related media among rural, Appalachian residents to determine its impact on smoking rates.
Author(s): Steven Branstetter, Eugene Lengerich, Mark Dignan, Joshua Muscat
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 15(1), 3136
Date: 03/2015
Type: Document
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