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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

Review of Rural U.S. Economic and Health Care Trends
Reviews recent literature and publicly available data to explore important issues at the nexus of healthcare and local economic vibrancy, and explores the economic implications associated with COVID-19. Includes sections on rural hospitals, the rural healthcare workforce, emergency medical services, insurance, and telehealth. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and county-level maps showing Health Professional Shortage Areas and rural counties without obstetrical services.
Author(s): Alison Davis
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Rural Health Research Recap: Rural Mental Health
Summarizes recent research from Rural Health Research Centers on rural mental health, covering serious mental illness and treatment, major depression and treatment, suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts, and adverse and positive childhood experiences. Provides links to full publications.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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Self-reported Illness Experiences and Psychosocial Outcomes for Reservation-Area American Indian Youth During COVID-19
Results of a Spring 2021 study of 2,559 American Indian students in grades 6-12 in schools on or near Indian reservations. Features statistics on COVID-19 experiences for self and others.
Author(s): Linda R. Stanley, Meghan A. Crabtree, Randall C. Swaim, Mark A. Prince.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(9), e2231764
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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Rural Child Care Solutions: From the Ground Up
Explores challenges related to childcare access in Minnesota that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Includes data on childcare availability broken down by entirely rural, town/rural mix, urban/town/rural mix, and entirely urban location. Includes discussions, models, and mitigating strategies to address childcare issues.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Marnie Werner
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Priorities for Improvement Across Cancer and Non-Cancer Related Preventive Services among Rural and Non-Rural Clinicians
Examines the preventive care services primary care physicians report as needing improvement in their clinics. Reports on 2021 data from 326 survey respondents in 49 states who discuss improvement areas such such as screenings, nutrition counseling, and physical activity counseling. Includes rural versus urban breakdowns for priorities in improvement areas.
Author(s): Michaela Brtnikova, Jamie L. Studts, Elise Robertson, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 23, 231
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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Rural–Urban Differences in Breast and Colorectal Cancer Screening among US Women, 2014-2019
Analyzes disparities in breast and colorectal cancer screening in rural and urban women aged 50-74 in the U.S. using 2014-2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. Includes demographic breakdowns by age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, education level, income, marital status, health behaviors, and reported access to healthcare.
Author(s): Nicholas Theodoropoulos, Hui Xie, Qian Wang, Chi Wen, Yannan Li
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 22(3), 7339
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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Urban and Rural Differences in New Onset Type 2 Diabetes: Comparisons Across National and Regional Samples in the Diabetes Lead Network
Examines the likelihood of new onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) by community type. Utilizes 3 longitudinal study samples about diabetes in the United States to track new onset T2D by U.S. region as well as higher density urban, lower density urban, suburban/small town, and rural community type. Includes further demographic breakdowns by age, sex, race/ethnicity, socio-economic factors, and smoking behaviors.
Author(s): Tara P. McAlexander, Gargya Malla, Jalal Uddin, et al.
Citation: SSM - Population Health, 19, 101161
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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Evaluation of a Civic Engagement Approach to Catalyze Built Environment Change and Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Rural Residents: A Cluster (Community) Randomized Controlled Trial
Provides an overview of a study that will analyze the Change Club (CC) intervention that focuses on built environment and health behaviors in rural communities. The CC intervention utilizes the civic engagement interventions for built environment change (CEBEC) approach to promote nutrition and physical activity. Discusses research plan for recruiting participants, conducting interventions, assessing and evaluating the program, and disseminating data and results.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, Karla L. Hanson, Deyaun Villarreal, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 22, 1674
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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A Dynamic Visualization Tool of Local Trends in Heart Disease and Stroke Mortality in the United States
Examines the methodology and utility of the Local Trends in Heart Disease and Stroke Mortality Dashboard. Discusses the importance of tracking spatiotemporal cardiovascular disease data for public health efforts and offers examples of how the dashboard can be used.
Author(s): Phong Le, Michele Casper, Adam S. Vaughan
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 19
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
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Rural Hospital Closures Threaten Access: Solutions to Preserve Care in Local Communities
Provides an overview of rural hospital closures between 2010-2021. Discusses rural demographics and outlines trends affecting rural hospital financial sustainability, including patient volume and health, reimbursement, staffing shortages, COVID-19, new models of care, and more.
Date: 09/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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