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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Appalachia

Recruitment in Appalachian, Rural and Older Adult Populations in an Artificial Intelligence World: Study Using Human-Mediated Follow-Up
Evaluates the effectiveness of a research study recruitment strategy using multiple contact methods for the rural, older adult population in Appalachian Pennsylvania. Includes rural and urban comparisons within Appalachian Pennsylvania and discusses common barriers to research participation for this group.
Author(s): Tabitha Milliken, Donielle Beiler, Samantha Hoffman, Ashlee Olenginski, Vanessa Troiani
Citation: JMIR Formative Research, 8(2024), 38189
Date: 2024
Type: Document
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Eradicating Rural Poverty: The Power of Cooperation
Series of articles describing how community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and other community development organizations have addressed persistent poverty and disinvestment in rural areas, including the Black Belt, tribal nations, and Appalachia. Discusses philanthropy, housing, availability of federal and private funding, and more.
Citation: Nonprofit Quarterly
Date: 2024
Type: Document
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Introducing K-DATA: Kentucky - Demographics, Analytics, Trends and Access (K-DATA)
Reports on health and population in Kentucky. Includes coverage of state demographics, social determinants of health, healthcare workforce supply and distribution, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), access to care, facilities, public health programs, nutrition, youth, people with disabilities, substance use disorder, cancer, diabetes, and characteristics of Kentucky's rural, urban, Delta, and Appalachian regions.
Date: 2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health
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Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in South Central Appalachia
Analyzes factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy from a survey of 181 Appalachian adults from February to June of 2021. Provides data on correlations between vaccine hesitancy and vaccine-related beliefs, attitudes toward COVID risk, adherence to prevention measures, and demographics. Highlights participants' geography and discusses disparities in rural Appalachia.
Author(s): Florence M. Weierbach, Rebecca Adkins Fletcher, Ingrid E. Luffman, et al.
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 5(3), 71-84
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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Changes in Perceptions of First Responders after Witnessing a Drug Overdose: Individual and Contextual Variations among People Who Use Opioids in West Virginia
Evaluates changes in attitude toward first responders among people who witnessed an overdose and stayed until first responders arrived. Utilizes interview data from 50 nonmedical users of prescription opioids from 3 rural Appalachian West Virginia counties. Identifies personal and contextual factors associated with changed perceptions of first responders.
Author(s): Kathleen L. Egan, Kelly Gurka, Alexandria Macmadu, Herb Linn
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 5(3), 22-37
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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Disparities in Mortality Between Appalachian and Non-Appalachian Regions of Kentucky
Compares all-cause, drug-related, and opioid-related mortality in Kentucky, with breakdowns by metropolitan/nonmetropolitan and Appalachian/non-Appalachian counties. Utilizes 2000-2019 CDC WONDER mortality data. Identifies mortality trends, and discusses related demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic factors.
Author(s): Sonali S. Salunkhe, Sahal Alzahrani, Beatrice Ugiliweneza
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 5(3), 38-52
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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High-Risk Individuals and Naloxone Use: Implications for THN Programs in Rural Appalachian Communities
Presents thematic analysis of factors influencing opioid overdose and naloxone use from interviews with 16 people who use opioid drugs in 4 rural, Appalachian Pennsylvania counties. Identifies opioid overdose risk factors, including substance use habits, as well as factors facilitating or preventing effective naloxone interventions. Covers naloxone access and knowledge, experiences, attitudes toward first responders, and disconnects between naloxone intervention and opioid dependence treatment.
Author(s): Victor Garcia, Lisa McCann, Erick Lauber, et al.
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 5(3), 9-21
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
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When Communities Keep Flooding: A Rural Environmental Justice Case Study
Presents discussion of repeated flooding by representatives of affected rural communities and organizations engaged with the topic. Emphasizes identifying barriers and implementing community-driven solutions. Highlights rural, low-wealth areas and communities of color, including Appalachia and predominantly Native and Black communities.
Date: 12/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Food Insecurity in the Appalachian Region
Reports on food insecurity in Appalachia, comparing regional and national trends and identifying contributing factors. Discusses the impacts of food insecurity on health, and profiles initiatives contributing to food security. Appendix C provides tables comparing data, with breakdowns by level of rurality, on topics including childhood food insecurity, households receiving SNAP benefits, low food access, low income population, and more.
Date: 11/2023
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Evaluation of Self-measured Blood Pressure Monitoring in a Southern Rural West Virginia Health System
Explores a study on the efficacy of a remote blood pressure monitoring intervention for rural adults in southern West Virginia. Breaks down data by participants' race, sex, and location, among other measures.
Author(s): Andrya J Durr, Craig H Robinson, Robin A Seabury, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(4), 8248
Date: 10/2023
Type: Document
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