Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Broadband
COVID-19 Reveals Emerging Opportunities for Rural Public Health
Explores potential and existing public health innovations that rural communities can implement to address challenges brought on or exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, including lack of funding for local health departments, insufficient broadband, and more. Describes the expansion of telehealth services, discusses rural/urban disparities, and offers recommendations for improvement.
Author(s): Angela Dearinger
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1277-1278
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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Explores potential and existing public health innovations that rural communities can implement to address challenges brought on or exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic, including lack of funding for local health departments, insufficient broadband, and more. Describes the expansion of telehealth services, discusses rural/urban disparities, and offers recommendations for improvement.
Author(s): Angela Dearinger
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(9), 1277-1278
Date: 09/2020
Type: Document
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Rural Digital Opportunity Fund: Requirements and Selected Policy Issues
Provides an overview of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), which aims to expand broadband service to rural homes and small businesses. Focuses on Phase I of the RDOF, including the timeline, eligible census blocks and broadband service providers, filing requirements, deployment milestones, and related policy issues.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), which aims to expand broadband service to rural homes and small businesses. Focuses on Phase I of the RDOF, including the timeline, eligible census blocks and broadband service providers, filing requirements, deployment milestones, and related policy issues.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Roundtable Discussion: Examining the Role of Telehealth during COVID-19 and Beyond
Video recording of an August 6, 2020, discussion on telehealth policies and impacts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and key considerations for the future of telehealth policy. Examines rural topics throughout, including access to broadband and using RHCs and FQHCs as originating site providers for telehealth services. Transcript available by clicking the dots above the video description, then selecting Show transcript.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Video recording of an August 6, 2020, discussion on telehealth policies and impacts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and key considerations for the future of telehealth policy. Examines rural topics throughout, including access to broadband and using RHCs and FQHCs as originating site providers for telehealth services. Transcript available by clicking the dots above the video description, then selecting Show transcript.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Rural-Urban Mental Health Disparities in the United States During COVID-19
Explores rural and urban mental health access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the expanded use of telehealth, the lack of broadband access, and mental health provider shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Nicole M. Summers-Gabr
Citation: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(S1), S222-S224
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
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Explores rural and urban mental health access during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the expanded use of telehealth, the lack of broadband access, and mental health provider shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Nicole M. Summers-Gabr
Citation: Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 12(S1), S222-S224
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
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The ReConnect Broadband Pilot Program
Highlights a program that provides loan and grant funding to expand rural access to broadband service. Details the program's eligibility requirements and compares it to other broadband programs offered by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Highlights a program that provides loan and grant funding to expand rural access to broadband service. Details the program's eligibility requirements and compares it to other broadband programs offered by the Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Evidence Briefing: Tackling the Digital Divide & Telehealth Access for Low-Income Californians
Recording of a July 28, 2020 briefing that features a panel of health care providers discussing strategies to improve access to broadband internet and telehealth services in California. Offers perspectives from a Federally Qualified Health Center and a VA health system that serve rural California residents. Transcript available by clicking the dots above the Subscribe tab, then selecting Open Transcript.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: California Initiative for Health Equity and Action
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Recording of a July 28, 2020 briefing that features a panel of health care providers discussing strategies to improve access to broadband internet and telehealth services in California. Offers perspectives from a Federally Qualified Health Center and a VA health system that serve rural California residents. Transcript available by clicking the dots above the Subscribe tab, then selecting Open Transcript.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: California Initiative for Health Equity and Action
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Rural Matters - Coronavirus and the Navajo Nation
Presents a first-hand account of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Navajo Nation. Discusses the social and environmental factors that contribute to the spread of the virus.
Author(s): Heather Kovich
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 383, 105-107
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
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Presents a first-hand account of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Navajo Nation. Discusses the social and environmental factors that contribute to the spread of the virus.
Author(s): Heather Kovich
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 383, 105-107
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
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Left Out: Barriers to Health Equity for Rural and Underserved Communities
Summarizes responses to a Request for Information from the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee's Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force. Describes factors contributing to healthcare challenges in rural areas, including demographics, social and structural determinants of health, insurance coverage, access to care, and workforce shortages. Highlights promising models of healthcare delivery in rural areas. Includes state-by-state health equity maps.
Additional links: State and Territory Health Equity Maps, Summary
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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Summarizes responses to a Request for Information from the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee's Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force. Describes factors contributing to healthcare challenges in rural areas, including demographics, social and structural determinants of health, insurance coverage, access to care, and workforce shortages. Highlights promising models of healthcare delivery in rural areas. Includes state-by-state health equity maps.
Additional links: State and Territory Health Equity Maps, Summary
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
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5G Deployment: FCC Needs Comprehensive Strategic Planning to Guide Its Efforts
Provides an overview of wireless networks and the development and deployment of 5G networks. Describes challenges of expanding networks to rural and low-income communities. Discusses the potential impact of 5G deployment on the digital divide between rural and urban areas. Offers recommendations regarding performance goals and mitigating the digital divide.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of wireless networks and the development and deployment of 5G networks. Describes challenges of expanding networks to rural and low-income communities. Discusses the potential impact of 5G deployment on the digital divide between rural and urban areas. Offers recommendations regarding performance goals and mitigating the digital divide.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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American Broadband Initiative Progress Report June 2020
Provides an overview of federal agency actions taken to increase broadband access and private-sector investments in broadband in response to the American Broadband Initiative's 2019 Milestones Report. Documents actions taken by federal agencies to promote broadband access since February 2019 across three categories: streamlining federal permitting, leveraging federal assets, and federal funding.
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Telecommunications and Information Administration
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Provides an overview of federal agency actions taken to increase broadband access and private-sector investments in broadband in response to the American Broadband Initiative's 2019 Milestones Report. Documents actions taken by federal agencies to promote broadband access since February 2019 across three categories: streamlining federal permitting, leveraging federal assets, and federal funding.
Date: 06/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Telecommunications and Information Administration
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