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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Broadband

The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334): Summary and Side-by-Side Comparison
Analyzes the 2018 Farm Bill by comparing House and Senate versions of the bill and the previous 2014 bill. Includes important rural provisions addressing substance abuse treatment, telemedicine funding, broadband access, and rural hospital loans.
Date: 02/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Rural Development Telecom Awards, 2012-17
Bar chart showing total awards and total recipients by year for USDA Rural Development telecommunications programs, with totals including the Broadband Access Loan and Loan Guarantee Program, Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program, Community Connect Grant Program, and Telecommunications Infrastructure Loan and Loan Guarantee Program.
Date: 02/2019
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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American Broadband Initiative Milestones Report
Highlights steps for the federal government to take to increase broadband access and increase private-sector investments in broadband. Discusses broadband and mobile broadband deployment and adoption in the U.S. and offers statistics by urban, rural, and tribal lands. Provides recommendations discussing strategies, objectives, and overcoming barriers to increase broadband in urban and rural areas and tribal lands.
Date: 02/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Broadband Internet Access and the Digital Divide: Federal Assistance Programs
Describes broadband Internet access issues in rural and underserved areas and federal assistance programs in place to help address these issues. Includes information on support specific to rural healthcare.
Date: 01/2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Rural Development 2018 Performance Report
Report highlights the performance of investments by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development for 2018. Features three successful rural programs funded by USDA Rural Development. Includes a list of Rural Development State Offices.
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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The Relationship Between Rural Setting and Health: Factors that Influence Individuals With or at Risk of CVD - A Summary of the Literature
Describes current literature on rural challenges and opportunities, including cardiovascular risk due to obesity, lack of access to healthcare, workforce shortages, importance of paramedics and community health workers, telehealth and broadband, and impact of the substance use disorder epidemic. Intended to help stakeholders understand the causes of health disparities and to support action to improve the health of rural communities.
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Heart Association
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Deconstructing the Digital Divide: Identifying the Supply and Demand Factors That Drive Internet Subscription Rates
Provides discussion and analysis on the factors influencing broadband subscription rates, including information based on service availability and community attributes. Describes rural specific examples and contexts throughout.
Author(s): Michael J. R. Martin
Date: 2019
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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HealthierRuralWest Resource Guide
Lists information and resources on various rural health topics, such as telehealth; broadband; other technologies to support rural healthcare; social determinants of health; healthcare workforce; mental health; substance abuse; and health equity. Includes rural health resources for specific audiences, including providers, researchers, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and communities.
Author(s): David Angelson, Phil Polakoff
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: A Healthier WE
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RAY BAUM'S Act: A Bipartisan Foundation for Bridging the Digital Divide
Presents a congressional hearing from the House Energy & Commerce Committee on the Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services (RAY BAUM'S) Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with reforms intended to help promote the deployment of broadband. Includes provisions targeted towards increasing broadband access for rural and tribal areas. Features testimony from representatives of the National Association of Broadcasters, Competitive Carriers Association, APCO International, and the Milwaukee Public Broadcast Station.
Additional links: Bohdan Zachary Testimony, Tim Donovan Testimony
Date: 12/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Broadband Subscription Rate for U.S. Counties
Bar chart showing average broadband subscription rates for households with incomes under $50,000 and incomes of $50,000 or more, for mostly urban, mostly rural, and completely rural counties.
Date: 12/2018
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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