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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Broadband

Disparities in Electronic Health Record Portal Access and Use among Patients with Cancer
Evaluates use of electronic health record (EHR) portal use among adult cancer patients who received treatment at 3 IMPACT cancer research centers, utilizing data extracted in February, 2022. Provides data on EHR portal use and frequency and identifies associations with rural dwelling, broadband access, and other demographic and clinical factors.
Author(s): Joan M Griffin, Barbara L Kroner, Sandra L Wong, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2023, djad225
Date: 11/2023
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Why Do Older, White, Rural Residents Have Slower Broadband Speeds?
Evaluates the role of age and rurality in slower broadband speeds for older, white, rural residents. Discusses the concept of a reverse digital divide.
Author(s): Robert Gallardo
Citation: The Daily Yonder
Date: 11/2023
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Understanding Rural-Urban Differences in Veterans' Internet Access Use, and Patient Preferences for Telemedicine
Report breaks down differences in internet access, use, and opinions about telehealth for rural and urban veterans. Bases findings on interviews with eligible veterans and highlights veterans' experiences with telehealth.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Why Rural Matters 2023: Centering Equity and Opportunity
Report describing schools in rural communities. Discusses the impact of COVID-19, access to psychologists and mental health supports, impact on poverty, broadband access, and more. Includes state-level comparisons.
Author(s): Daniel Showalter, Sara L. Hartman, Karen Eppley, Jerry Johnson, Bob Klein
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Education Association
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5G Fund for Rural America: Current Status and Issues
Provides an overview of the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) 5G Fund for Rural America, an initiative to bring voice and high-speed mobile broadband services to rural areas unlikely to see 5G cellular deployments without subsidies. Outlines considerations and concerns raised by members of Congress about the program.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Closing the Broadband Infrastructure Gap: State Grant Funds and the Digital Divide
Analyzes Pew Trusts data on awarded broadband grants in 17 states between 2014 and 2020 to determine common characteristics of funded projects, criteria for allocation, and communities reached. Includes discussion of implications for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funds and the impact on existing disparities. Offers rural and urban comparisons.
Additional links: Q&A with Pew Trusts, Summary
Author(s): Natassia A. Bravo, Mildred E. Warner
Date: 10/2023
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BEAD Program Toolkit for Counties
Resource hub for county stakeholders working in broadband initiatives. Includes suggested action items, county-level data on broadband access, Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) related resources, webinars, and more.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Counties
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The Equity of Economic Opportunity in Rural America
Offers an overview of employment trends in rural America. Highlights the impact of technology and historical policy decisions on equity. Includes information for rural and urban comparisons as well as race and ethnicity, population movement, and broadband infrastructure data. Discusses policy solutions for improving equity in and for rural places.
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: Center on Rural Innovation
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Three USDA Rural Broadband Programs: Areas and Populations Served
Evaluation of funded and unfunded grants and loans for 3 U.S. Department of Agriculture rural broadband programs between 2009 and 2021. Determines geographic and population distribution trends and characteristics of successfully funded projects.
Author(s): John Pender, Joshua Goldstein, Devika Mahoney-Nair, Hanna Charankevich
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Challenges to Care of Patients with Diabetes in Rural, Underserved Areas
Discusses the provision of diabetes care to patients in rural areas. Includes information on demographics, barriers to care, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs).
Author(s): Richard J. Santen
Date: 10/2023
Sponsoring organization: University of Virginia School of Medicine
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