Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Environmental health
Rural Development: Actions Needed to Improve Assistance to Southwest Border Communities Known as Colonias
Provides an overview of colonias, predominately rural, Hispanic communities near the U.S.-Mexico border. Examines conditions in colonias and the challenges they face in obtaining and using federal assistance. Presents results of an analysis of American Community Survey data, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program documentation and funding data for fiscal years 2020–2023, and interviews with stakeholders. Offers recommendations for Congress and the USDA to preserve eligibility to funding set aside for colonias and identify applications for Single Family Housing assistance for projects in colonias.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of colonias, predominately rural, Hispanic communities near the U.S.-Mexico border. Examines conditions in colonias and the challenges they face in obtaining and using federal assistance. Presents results of an analysis of American Community Survey data, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program documentation and funding data for fiscal years 2020–2023, and interviews with stakeholders. Offers recommendations for Congress and the USDA to preserve eligibility to funding set aside for colonias and identify applications for Single Family Housing assistance for projects in colonias.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Geographic Variations in Urban-Rural Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Concentrations in the United States, 2010–2019
Compares fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) ambient air concentration in rural versus urban areas from 2010 to 2019, utilizing the AHRQ database on Social Determinants of Health. Examines rural-urban changes in PM2.5 concentration over time, with breakdowns by census tract race and ethnicity, poverty, residents under age 15, and residents over age 65.
Author(s): Daniel J. Kilpatrick, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth Crouch, et al.
Citation: GeoHealth, 8(9), e2023GH000920
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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Compares fine particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) ambient air concentration in rural versus urban areas from 2010 to 2019, utilizing the AHRQ database on Social Determinants of Health. Examines rural-urban changes in PM2.5 concentration over time, with breakdowns by census tract race and ethnicity, poverty, residents under age 15, and residents over age 65.
Author(s): Daniel J. Kilpatrick, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth Crouch, et al.
Citation: GeoHealth, 8(9), e2023GH000920
Date: 09/2024
Type: Document
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The State of Health in Tennessee: 2024 Annual Report to the 113th Tennessee General Assembly
Assesses the health status of Tennesseans across the four areas of the State Health Plan Framework: A Healthy Start, A Healthy Life, a Healthy Environment, and a Healthy System of Care. Includes a section on social determinants of health and features statistics on various populations and aspects of healthcare, including rural hospital closures.
Additional links: A Healthy Environment: Housing, A Healthy Life: Income and Poverty, A Healthy Start: Poverty & Food Insecurity, A Healthy System of Care: Access
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Assesses the health status of Tennesseans across the four areas of the State Health Plan Framework: A Healthy Start, A Healthy Life, a Healthy Environment, and a Healthy System of Care. Includes a section on social determinants of health and features statistics on various populations and aspects of healthcare, including rural hospital closures.
Additional links: A Healthy Environment: Housing, A Healthy Life: Income and Poverty, A Healthy Start: Poverty & Food Insecurity, A Healthy System of Care: Access
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Exposure to Climate Events and Mental Health: Risk and Protective Factors from the California Health Interview Survey
Examines the association between personal characteristics and negative mental health effects following exposure to extreme weather, utilizing data from the 2021 California Health Interview survey. Analyzes characteristics including age, race, gender, education, housing stability, neighborhood safety, level of rurality, and more.
Author(s): Daniel Zhao, Elissa Epel, Elaine Allen, Alison R. Hwong
Citation: PLoS Climate, 3(8), e0000387
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Examines the association between personal characteristics and negative mental health effects following exposure to extreme weather, utilizing data from the 2021 California Health Interview survey. Analyzes characteristics including age, race, gender, education, housing stability, neighborhood safety, level of rurality, and more.
Author(s): Daniel Zhao, Elissa Epel, Elaine Allen, Alison R. Hwong
Citation: PLoS Climate, 3(8), e0000387
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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A Scoping Review of Policies to Encourage Breastfeeding, Healthy Eating, and Physical Activity among Rural People and Places in the United States
Scoping review of 122 studies, reports, and theses on breastfeeding, healthy eating, and physical activity policy, systems, and environment change initiatives in rural areas. Analyzes source design, objectives, setting, focus, results, and more. Summarizes research findings and discusses data collection and sharing for rural initiatives.
Author(s): M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, Bailey Houghtaling, Marilyn E. Wende, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 24, 2160
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Scoping review of 122 studies, reports, and theses on breastfeeding, healthy eating, and physical activity policy, systems, and environment change initiatives in rural areas. Analyzes source design, objectives, setting, focus, results, and more. Summarizes research findings and discusses data collection and sharing for rural initiatives.
Author(s): M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, Bailey Houghtaling, Marilyn E. Wende, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 24, 2160
Date: 08/2024
Type: Document
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Never Underestimate the Power of Community
Provides an overview of the Tennessee Department of Health's efforts to improve public health and emergency response strategies for extreme heat days in 2 rural Tennessee counties. Discusses planning, implementation, and cooperation with health professionals and community members.
Author(s): Kimberly Harrell
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Provides an overview of the Tennessee Department of Health's efforts to improve public health and emergency response strategies for extreme heat days in 2 rural Tennessee counties. Discusses planning, implementation, and cooperation with health professionals and community members.
Author(s): Kimberly Harrell
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Are We Ready? Preparing for the Public Health Challenges of Climate Change
Provides information on how local health departments (LHDs) are planning for climate change. Discusses public health consequences of heat, drought, wildfires, and smoke and how public health programming and services can mitigate health issues. Utilizes 302 responses from LHDs to discuss issues such as staff capacity, funding sources, understanding of the effects of climate change, and more, with representative responses from small LHDs serving less than 50,000 people.
Author(s): Angana Roy, Margaret Cunningham, Kellie Hall
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Provides information on how local health departments (LHDs) are planning for climate change. Discusses public health consequences of heat, drought, wildfires, and smoke and how public health programming and services can mitigate health issues. Utilizes 302 responses from LHDs to discuss issues such as staff capacity, funding sources, understanding of the effects of climate change, and more, with representative responses from small LHDs serving less than 50,000 people.
Author(s): Angana Roy, Margaret Cunningham, Kellie Hall
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Building Resilience: How Recent Federal Policy Is Laying the Groundwork for Improved Climate Adaptation
Examines the intersection of public health, climate change, and equity and details federal policy that focuses on climate adaptation and resilience strategies for underserved, rural, and/or tribal communities. Provides resources and collaborative opportunities for public health departments to address climate change issues in their local areas. Includes data on global surface temperature by year and state-by-state infrastructure funding to improve environmental health.
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Examines the intersection of public health, climate change, and equity and details federal policy that focuses on climate adaptation and resilience strategies for underserved, rural, and/or tribal communities. Provides resources and collaborative opportunities for public health departments to address climate change issues in their local areas. Includes data on global surface temperature by year and state-by-state infrastructure funding to improve environmental health.
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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A Guide to Building a Climate-Ready Rural Workforce
Guides local health departments in establishing and expanding climate and health programs for rural areas. Discusses climate-related environmental health challenges and activities, including sections on surveillance and data use, partnerships, communication and outreach, workforce development, and mental health.
Author(s): Nikita Kheni, Angana Roy, Aliya Al-Sadi, Beth Hess
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Guides local health departments in establishing and expanding climate and health programs for rural areas. Discusses climate-related environmental health challenges and activities, including sections on surveillance and data use, partnerships, communication and outreach, workforce development, and mental health.
Author(s): Nikita Kheni, Angana Roy, Aliya Al-Sadi, Beth Hess
Date: 07/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Ambient Air Pollution and the Risk of Violence in Primary and Secondary School Settings: A Cross-sectional Study
Examines the relationship among air quality, neurological dysfunction, and violent behavior in schools. Analyzes associations between air pollution and violent incidents in Minnesota schools from 2008-2012. Includes county-level maps showing air pollution levels and location of rural and urban schools, with further data analysis exploring rural versus urban differences in air quality and violent behavior.
Author(s): Austin T. Rau, Alyson B. Harding, Andy Ryan, et al.
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 11, 24
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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Examines the relationship among air quality, neurological dysfunction, and violent behavior in schools. Analyzes associations between air pollution and violent incidents in Minnesota schools from 2008-2012. Includes county-level maps showing air pollution levels and location of rural and urban schools, with further data analysis exploring rural versus urban differences in air quality and violent behavior.
Author(s): Austin T. Rau, Alyson B. Harding, Andy Ryan, et al.
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 11, 24
Date: 06/2024
Type: Document
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