This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

COVID-19: Significant Improvements Are Needed for Overseeing Relief Funds and Leading Responses to Public Health Emergencies
Discusses the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Provides an overview of federal actions on healthcare and economic policy areas through early January 2022, including data on COVID-19 relief spending and vaccinations. Offers 5 new recommendations to federal agencies regarding emergency rental assistance, nutrition assistance, and tax relief for businesses. Also designates the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) leadership and coordination of a range of public health emergencies as high risk to ensure sustained executive branch and congressional attention so the nation is prepared for future emergencies.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Helicobacter pylori Prevalence and Risk Factors in Three Rural Indigenous Communities of Northern Arizona
Explores a study on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H.pylori) bacterial infections among members of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona. Breaks down data by age, clinical history, and water sources, among other factors.
Author(s): Robin B. Harris, Heidi E. Brown, Rachelle L. Begay, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(2), 797
Date: 01/2022
view details
Evolving Perceptions of COVID-19 Vaccines among Remote Alaskan Communities
Highlights a study on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among remote Alaskan communities. Details levels of vaccine hesitancy, vaccination, and feelings about the vaccine over the course of the pandemic. Breaks down participant data by age, and healthcare access, among other measures.
Author(s): Micah B. Hahn, Ruby L. Fried, Patricia Cochran, Laura P. Eichelberger
Citation: International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 81(1)
Date: 01/2022
view details
COVID-19 Vaccinations in Rural America
Provides an overview of trends in COVID-19 vaccination in rural areas through January 2022. Includes charts and maps comparing vaccination rates in metropolitan and nonmetro areas, as well as COVID-19 mortality. Discusses nonmetro vaccination rates among different demographic groups.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
CARES Act Telehealth Expansion: Trends in Post-Discharge Follow-Up and Association with 30-Day Readmissions for Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program Health Conditions
Provides an overview of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) and examines the impact of expanded Medicare payment for telehealth services on post-discharge follow-up and hospital readmissions for HRRP conditions. Describes trends in post-discharge follow-up before and after the telehealth expansion and compares trends by health condition, sociodemographic characteristics, rurality, and follow-up method.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
view details
Rural Community Health Initiative: Compendium of Best Practices
Presents a collection of community-based health initiatives, including a school health initiative, a COVID-19 vaccine outreach and education program, and telehealth consortia, among others. Describes successful outcomes and sources of funding for each program.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
view details
Prescription Drug Affordability among Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines the affordability of prescription drugs among Medicare beneficiaries. Explores whether Medicare beneficiaries skipped doses, took less medication, delayed filling a prescription, or did not fill needed prescriptions due to cost concerns. Explores affordability concerns by race and ethnicity, sex, family income, urban versus rural counties, and presence of select chronic conditions.
Author(s): Wafa Tarazi, Kenneth Finegold, Steven Sheingold, Nancy De Lew, Benjamin D. Sommers
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Association Between County-Level Risk Groups and COVID-19 Outcomes in the United States: A Socioecological Study
Analysis of 2,701 counties from January 2020 to February 2021 to identify distinct groups of counties, based on sociodemographic, health, and environmental domains and the association with COVID-19 cases and deaths. Features statistics and county-level maps showing rates of COVID-19 cases, rates of COVID-19 deaths, and county-level risk factors with breakdowns including rural counties with social and medical vulnerabilities and older rural counties with greater social assets.
Author(s): Sadiya S. Khan, Amy E. Krefman, Megan E. McCabe, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 81
Date: 01/2022
view details
Report to Congress on Leveraging Federal Programs to Prevent and Control Diabetes and Its Complications, 2021
Report examining diabetes prevalence and health impact nationwide, offering recommendations for reducing risks, preventing type 2 diabetes, and treating and managing diabetes. Discusses diabetes and other chronic conditions in rural areas, rural health disparities, and rural-specific recommendations for prevention and management.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organizations: National Clinical Care Commission, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Benefits of a Telehealth Approach to Treating Mental Illness among Veterans in Rural Settings
Details a study on the VA's use of telemedicine to provide mental healthcare to rural veterans. Focuses on veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), especially women with military sexual trauma (MST). Includes feedback from veterans on their experience with tele-mental health treatment.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development
view details