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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

Appalachia Then and Now: Examining Changes to the Appalachian Region since 1965
Presents a comparison of collected data on the Appalachian region from the 1960s and 2010s. Discusses a variety of determinants of health, including poverty, mortality, infrastructure, and employment, among others. Document includes Executive Summary, Technical Report, and State Meetings Report.
Date: 02/2015
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Distribution of Cardiovascular Disease and Associated Risk Factors by County Type and Health Insurance Status: Results from the 2008 Ohio Family Health Survey
Analyzes the health status of Ohio residents living in Appalachia with other rural and non-rural populations in Ohio. Uses 2008 Ohio Family Health Survey data to identify links among county demographics, health insurance coverage, and health outcomes in low-income adult populations.
Author(s): Mbabazi Kariisa, Eric Seiber
Citation: Public Health Reports, 130(1), 87-95
Date: 01/2015
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QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥45 Years with Selected Diagnosed Chronic Conditions, by Number of Conditions and Urban/Rural Classification - National Health Interview Survey, 2013
Chart showing the percentage of adults 45 and older with zero, one, or two or more chronic conditions, for rural areas, urban areas, and the U.S. overall.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 63(53), 1247
Date: 01/2015
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Oral Health Strategic Framework 2014–2017
Presents a framework for improving oral healthcare. Highlights the federal government's oral healthcare priorities and outlines 5 different oral health policy goals, such as integration into primary care, improve oral health literacy, and the advancement of research, among others.
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Disparities in Life Expectancy of Pacific Northwest American Indians and Alaska Natives: Analysis of Linkage-Corrected Life Tables
Discusses a project in which patient record linkage was used to correct misclassification on death certificates issued in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington during 2008-2010, which had resulted in inflation of life expectancy estimates and underreporting of morbidity and mortality measures for American Indians and Alaska Natives living in the Pacific Northwest. Includes statistics with breakdowns including age, sex, state, mortality rates, and rates of death certificate misclassification.
Author(s): Jenine Dankovchik, Megan J. Hoopes, Victoria Warren-Mears, Elizabeth Knaster
Citation: Public Health Reports, 130(1), 71-80
Date: 2015
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Rural Healthy People 2020: A Companion Document to Healthy People 2020, Volume 2
Provides a rural focus for the Healthy People 2020 priorities with an overview for each of the top health priorities ranked 11 through 20 identified by rural stakeholders. (Volume 1 discussed the top 10 priorities.) Topics include: cancer, health education, oral health, immunizations and infectious disease, public health, sexual health and family planning, injury and violence prevention, and social determinants of health. Includes reviews of the relevant literature and model programs appropriate for rural communities. Document is available for free download, after providing brief information about intended use.
Author(s): Jane N. Bolin, Gail Bellamy, Alva O. Ferdinand, Bita Kash, Janet W. Helduser
Date: 2015
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
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Neighborhood Socioeconomic Disadvantage and 30 Day Rehospitalizations: An Analysis of Medicare Data
Examines the association between neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage and 30-day rehospitalizations for patients discharged with congestive heart failure, pneumonia, or acute myocardial infarction. Includes data by location of patient residence for small town/rural, large town, suburban, and urban core areas.
Author(s): Amy J.H. Kind, Steve Jencks, Jane Brock, et al.
Citation: Annals of Internal Medicine, 161(11), 765-774
Date: 12/2014
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Cancer Disparities Among Alaska Native People, 1970-2011
Examines cancer incidence and mortality data for Alaska Native (AN) people in different categories and varying year ranges from 1970 through 2011, and compares cancer rates for AN and U.S. White populations. Shows that cancer mortality rates among AN people exceeded rates among White people for all cancers combined, for cancers of the lung, stomach, pancreas, kidney, and cervix, and for colorectal cancer.
Author(s): Janet J. Kelly, Anne P. Lanier, Teresa Schade, Jennifer Brantley, B. Michael Starkey
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 11
Date: 12/2014
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The Role of Medicare and the Indian Health Service for American Indians and Alaska Natives: Health, Access and Coverage
Examines the health, healthcare access, income, and education disparities that exist within the Native American and Alaskan Native population, as well as the roles of Medicare and the Indian Health Service (IHS) in addressing these disparities.
Author(s): Cristina Boccuti, Christina Swoope, Samantha Artiga
Date: 12/2014
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Opioid Prescribing Patterns for Non-Malignant Chronic Pain for Rural Versus Non-Rural U.S. Adults: A Population-Based Study Using 2010 NAMCS Data
Results of a survey comparing prescribing patterns of opioid drugs for non-malignant chronic pain management to determine whether rurality was a factor in over-prescribing opioids.
Author(s): Jacob P. Prunuske, Catherine A. St. Hill, Keri D. Hager, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 14, 563
Date: 11/2014
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