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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

Do Rural Hospitals Have An Advantage During A Pandemic?
Analysis of the challenges, advantages, and policy landscape affecting rural hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses workforce issues, community relationships, and emergency preparedness.
Author(s): Miriam Krikorian Atkinson, John L. Hick, Sara J. Singer, Nicholas V. Cagliuso, Paul D. Biddinger
Citation: Health Affairs Forefront
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Health Affairs
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Rural Adults Report Worse Employment and Economic Impacts from COVID-19 than Urban Adults
Brief examining rural and urban differences in the impacts of COVID-19 on physical and mental health, financial well-being, employment, and social relationships among adults age 18-64. Analyzes data from the 2021 National Wellbeing Survey of 4,014 adults.
Author(s): Shannon M. Monnat
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Population Research Network
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Exploring Perceived Risk for COVID-19 and Its Role in Protective Behavior and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy: A Qualitative Study after the First Wave
Presents a study on the perceived risk of COVID-19 among rural Kentuckians during the first wave of the pandemic. Explores attitudes about protective behavior and vaccine hesitancy. Bases conclusions on interviews conducted by phone between July 3rd and July 24th of 2020.
Author(s): Naomi J. Patterson, Valerie A. Paz-Soldan, Richard Oberhelman, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 503
Date: 03/2022
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy, 2022
Annual review of Medicare payment policies, with recommendations to Congress. Includes discussion on Medicare payment policies directly affecting rural providers and beneficiaries. Addresses payment adequacy for healthcare facilities and services, improving Medicare payment for post-acute care, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, and the impact of healthcare provider consolidation.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Telehealth Has Played an Outsized Role Meeting Mental Health Needs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Explores usage of telehealth for physical and mental health outpatient visits between March 2019 and August 2021. Figure 3 shows use of mental health and substance use telehealth visits versus other outpatient telehealth visits, with rural versus urban comparisons. Includes a discussion about payment models for telehealth via private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.
Author(s): Justin Lo, Matthew Rae, Krutika Amin, et al.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Vermont's All-Payer Accountable Care Organization Model: Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center's Experience
Profiles Mt. Ascutney Hospital and Health Center (MAHHC), a Critical Access Hospital and health center partnership in central Vermont. Describes how MAHHC provides care differently as a participant in the OneCare Vermont accountable care organization (ACO). Discusses how MAHHC adapted healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights challenges and financial implications of MAHHC's participation in OneCare Vermont.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide in Chronic Disease Through Community Engagement in Health Program Delivery
Discusses health disparities in rural versus urban communities in North Carolina and possible solutions for community-centered change. Includes charts and maps that detail rural-urban differences in mortality, heart disease, and housing problems.
Author(s): Lori Carter-Edwards, Monica M. Taylor
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 83(2), 103-106
Date: 03/2022
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Midwest Rural-Urban Disparities in Use of Patient Online Services for Covid-19
Examines patient portal messaging utilization in a Midwest health system based on data from over 1 million messages generated between February 2020 and August 2020 by rural and urban users. Includes breakdown of user data along rural versus urban and demographic lines. Discusses rural disparities related to virtual care, such as using portal messaging for COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment versus pandemic isolation and anxiety.
Author(s): Ming Huang, Andrew Wen, Huan He, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 38(4), 908-915
Date: 03/2022
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Health Status of New Mexico 2020
Slide deck providing regional and rural-urban comparisons of income, education level, healthcare coverage, health status, health behaviors, chronic conditions, substance use, mental health, and more based on various New Mexico Department of Health datasets.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Data Elements for Research on the Role of Social Determinants of Health in Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection and Outcomes in the U.S.
Reviews 27 studies published between December 2019 and August 2021 to explore how social determinants of health (SDOH) are related to outcomes of COVID-19. Focuses on modifiable SDOH such as income, housing, health insurance status, and food insecurity, among others. Examines rural and urban settings in data analysis as possible predictors of COVID-19 outcomes.
Author(s): Katherine K. Kim, Hibah K. Qudsi, Heather M. Halter, et al.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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