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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Environmental health

Guidance on PFAS Exposure, Testing, and Clinical Follow-Up
Report examining the effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are common in well water in rural areas and have been linked to adverse health effects including cancer, thyroid dysfunction, changes in cholesterol, and reductions in birth weight. Recommends that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health departments support clinicians in communities where PFAS contamination has been identified, by creating educational materials on PFAS exposure, potential health effects, the limitations of testing, and the benefits and harms of testing.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Alaska Native Health Status Report
Provides an overview of Alaskan Native health, with a focus on sociodemographics and social determinants of health (SDOH); mortality; morbidity; maternal, infant, and child health; adolescent health; adult health; preventive care; and environmental health. Includes data and maps on health issues in Alaskan regions. Discusses advocacy, program planning, policy development, and evaluation related to Alaskan Native public health.
Date: 12/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
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North Dakota Department of Health Biennial Report: 2019-2021
Highlights the goals and accomplishments of the North Dakota Department of Health during the 2019-2021 biennium, in the areas of community health, emergency preparedness and response, environmental health, health resources, medical services, and local public health units. Includes information on rural healthcare facilities and rural health promotion programs.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Dakota Department of Health
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NIH Rural Health Seminar: Structural-Level Determinants of Rural Health Disparities
Recording of a seminar that examines structural-level determinants of rural health disparities, including sociocultural and economic determinants, physical environmental determinants, and research, evaluation, measurement, and policy methods and implications.
Additional links: Seminar Agenda, Speaker Biographies
Date: 11/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organizations: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health
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Development of a Culturally Anchored Qualitative Approach to Conduct and Analyze Focus Group Narratives Collected in Diné (Navajo) Communities to Understand the Impacts of the Gold King Mine Spill of 2015
Presents an overview of a focus group study of the impacts of the Gold King Mine Spill of 2015 on communities in the Navajo Nation in partnership with community members. Discusses the process of developing the partnership between university, tribal college, and Navajo Nation representatives, developing the focus group methodology, and conducting the focus groups, highlighting the cultural practices and leadership of the Navajo Nation.
Author(s): Nicolette I. Teufel-Shone, Carmenlita Chief, Jennifer R. Richards, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(17), 9402
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
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Environmental Factors Associated with Physical Activity in Rural U.S. Counties
Examines rural-urban differences in environmental factors that impact whether or not adults meet physical activity guidelines based on several federal data sources for 3,140 counties. Discusses variations in natural, social, recreational, and transportation environments by level of rurality.
Author(s): Christiaan G. Abildso, Shay M. Daily, M. Renée Umstattd Meyer, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7688
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
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Crosscutting Environmental Risk with Design: A Multi-site, Multi-city Socioecological Approach for Iowa's Diversifying Small Towns
Examines the intersection of built environments and environmental design with factors exacerbating health disparities in 3 small Iowa towns. Discusses how study results may be used by small towns to prioritize investments in built environments for vulnerable populations.
Author(s): Benjamin Shirtcliff, Rosie Manzo, Rachel Scudder
Citation: PLoS ONE, 16(6)
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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Exploring the Role of Critical Health Literacy in Addressing the Social Determinants of Health
Brief reporting on a workshop held by the Roundtable on Health Literacy that explored Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) and health literacy to serve vulnerable communities. Discusses SDOH models, research methods to engage communities, and critical health literacy. Project examples include work with rural Native American communities.
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Providing APPE Pharmacy Students Rural Health Assessment Experience Following Wildfire Event in Western Montana
Discusses an experiential training opportunity in which pharmacy students utilized their clinical rotations to provide screenings for a rural community experiencing wildfire smoke health impacts. Provides information about how the students engaged in rural community interactions and helped to respond to a public health emergency.
Author(s): Cristi A.L. Migliaccio, Sarah Ballou, Mary Buford, Ava Orr, Christopher Migliaccio
Citation: Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning, 13(5), 560-565
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
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Border 2025: United States-Mexico Environmental Program
Describes the goals and objectives of the Border 2025 program, including further investment in reducing air pollution, improving water quality, supporting waste management, and increasing preparedness to respond to environmental emergencies. Breaks down objectives into measurable stages and discusses partnerships between governments, U.S. tribes, and Mexican Indigenous communities.
Additional links: Frontera 2025: Programa Ambiental México - Estados Unidos
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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