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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: COVID-19

COVID-19 and Rural Communities: Protecting Rural Lives and Health
Report examining the impact of COVID-19 in rural America, presenting data on case rates and mortality, prevalence in rural communities, and health conditions contributing to severe cases of COVID-19. Discusses issues of socioeconomic vulnerability, healthcare access, and public health compliance. Offers actions to address disparities, including increasing access, supporting livelihoods, and considering social determinants of health in healthcare planning.
Author(s): Jesse Bradford, Erica Coe, Kana Enomoto, Matt White
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: McKinsey & Company
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CAH Partnerships During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Presents findings from a survey of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in eight states on how they partnered with communities and public health agencies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the type of support CAHs received from their State Flex Program (SFP).
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Keelia Silvis, Ira Moscovice
Date: 03/2021
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Rural and Urban Differences in COVID-19 Prevention Behaviors
Examines the influence of political ideology, demographic factors, and COVID-19 experiences on COVID-19-related preventive health behaviors in rural and urban communities, based on a survey of 5,009 adults. Features demographics and statistics on various behaviors and attitudes, with breakdowns by urban and rural location.
Author(s): Timothy Callaghan, Jennifer A. Lueck, Kristen Lunz Trujillo, Alva O. Ferdinand
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(2), 287-295
Date: 03/2021
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Nonmetropolitan COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality Rates Surpassed Metropolitan Rates Within the First 24 Weeks of the Pandemic Declaration: United States, March 1 – October 18, 2020
Compares COVID-19 cases and death rates in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas across three 11-week periods in 2020. Features state-level maps providing a visual assessment of the changing impact that COVID-19 had on nonmetropolitan populations.
Author(s): Kevin A Matthews, Fred Ullrich, Anne H. Gaglioti, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(2), 272-277
Date: 03/2021
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Urban-Rural Differences in COVID-19 Exposures and Outcomes in the South: A Preliminary Analysis of South Carolina
Examines confirmed cases of COVID-19 in South Carolina from March 1 - September 5, 2020. Compares data between urban and rural counties and their relationship to mitigation strategies and social vulnerability. Includes figures that show space-time analysis of COVID-19 impacts.
Author(s): Qian Huang, Sarah Jackson, Sahar Derakhshan, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 16(2)
Date: 02/2021
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Racial/Ethnic Heterogeneity and Rural-Urban Disparity of COVID-19 Case Fatality Ratio in the USA: a Negative Binomial and GIS-Based Analysis
Examines racial heterogeneity in COVID-19 case fatality ratio, using data from January-December 2020. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, completely rural, and mostly rural locations.
Author(s): Ayodeji E. Iyanda, Kwadwo A. Boakye, Yongmei Lu, Joseph R. Oppong
Citation: Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 9(2), 708-721
Date: 02/2021
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Society of Behavioral Medicine Statement on COVID-19 and Rural Health
Highlights the position of the Society of Behavioral Medicine on rural health disparities as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. Addresses shortages in rural health research, healthcare infrastructure, and other systemic disparities. Makes both short- and long-term recommendations to policymakers.
Author(s): Pamela Behrman, Marian L Fitzgibbon, Akilah Dulin, et al.
Citation: Translational Behavioral Medicine, 11(2), 625-630
Date: 02/2021
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COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout in Rural Communities: Challenges, Innovations, and Unmet Needs
Provides insights from rural, frontier, and tribal organizations about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Discusses challenges in rural communities, including access barriers and vaccine hesitancy, and shares innovative strategies being used to address these challenges. Identifies unmet needs and potential strategies as the vaccination process continues.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
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COVID Relief Funding for Medicaid Providers
Analyzes the distribution of COVID-19 provider relief funds to Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) providers. Discusses barriers Medicaid providers experience in applying for COVID relief funding. Presents data on the share of potentially eligible providers who received funding by enrollment in Medicare and provider type. Includes information on the distribution of funding to hospitals by hospital type, urban or rural status, and deemed DSH status.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Child Care in Rural Minnesota After 2020: A Unique Opportunity
Summarizes changes in child care in Minnesota from 2000-2020. Describes the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on child care and employment, and features discussion on how a lack of child care can affect parents' abilities to secure and maintain jobs. Includes data and statistics on changes in childcare provider licenses and capacity. Offers recommendations for recovering from the pandemic and keeping child care intact in rural Minnesota.
Additional links: Webinar Recording
Author(s): Marnie Werner
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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