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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

Strategies to Eliminate Inequity in PrEP Services in the US South and Rural Communities
Examines novel and promising programs and interventions to potentially improve HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access in the U.S. South and rural communities. Describes ways to normalize, digitalize, and simplify PrEP care.
Author(s): Emiko Kamitani, Yuko Mizuno, Linda J. Koenig
Citation: Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 35(2), 153-160
Date: 03/2024
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Survival Disparities in Rural Versus Urban Patients with Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor: A Multi-Institutional Study from the US Neuroendocrine Tumor Study Group
Compares overall survival of 1176 rural and urban patients who underwent pancreatic neoendocrine tumor (PNET) resection between 2000 and 2016, utilizing US Neuroendocrine Tumor Study Group data. Includes data on tumor pathology and patient management factors. Discusses barriers to care after PNET diagnosis for rural populations.
Author(s): Muhammad Bilal Mirza, Jordan J. Baechle, Paula Marincola Smith, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Surgery, 233, 125-131
Date: 03/2024
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Disparities in Continuous Glucose Monitor Use Between Children With Type 1 Diabetes Living in Urban and Rural Areas
Examines the uptake of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology in children with type 1 diabetes. Utilizes 2018-2021 electronic health record (EHR) data to observe CGM use according to patient sex, race/ethnicity, age, insurance type, and rurality. Discusses disparities among rural and urban populations.
Author(s): Daniel R. Tilden, Benjamin French, Karishma A. Datye, Sarah S. Jaser
Citation: Diabetes Care, 47(3), 346-352
Date: 03/2024
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SAMHSA's Behavioral Health Equity Fact Sheet: SAMHSA's Strategic Efforts to Advance Behavioral Health Equity
Reports on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's health equity goals, activities, and impact. Includes coverage of programs and funding for rural substance use disorder treatment and access to behavioral health services.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Urban Relatives Ameliorate Survival Disparities for Genitourinary Cancer in Rural Patients
Compares genitourinary cancer survival rates of 24,746 rural patients with and without urban relatives from 1968-2018 Utah Population Database data. Discusses how family supports may influence access to care in rural areas.
Author(s): Mouneeb Choudry, Kassandra Dindinger-Hill, Jacob Ambrose, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 13(5), e7058
Date: 03/2024
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Sherman Lecture: Are We Aiming at the Correct Targets to Reduce Disparities in Stroke Mortality? Celebration, Reflection, and Redirection
Discusses disparities in stroke deaths and opportunities for cardiovascular health improvement. Provides data on racial and ethnic, regional, and rural stroke disparities, and identifies approaches to stroke risk reduction in Black and rural populations.
Author(s): George Howard
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 13(7), e031309
Date: 03/2024
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Maternal and Infant Health: HHS Should Strengthen Processes for Measuring Program Performance
Provides an overview of the Healthy Start program, which aims to reduce rates of infant death, improve maternal health outcomes, and reduce racial and ethnic disparities. Describes Healthy Start grantees and participants served during the April 2019-March 2024 grant period, as well as services that grantees are expected to provide and changes to these expectations for the 2024-2029 grant period. Explores the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services's (HHS) efforts to measure program performance, the extent to which Healthy Start performance measures meet key attributes of effective measures, and HHS' efforts to align Healthy Start performance measures with those of related HHS programs. Includes information on Healthy Start programs and participants by organization type, race, and rurality. Offers recommendations regarding reviewing and coordinating Healthy Start performance measures across Healthy Start and related programs.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide: An Implementation Plan for Leveraging Technology and Artificial Intelligence to Improve Health and Economic Outcomes in Rural America
Commentary providing an overview of rural health disparities and the healthcare needs of rural communities. Discusses ways technology and artificial intelligence may offer needed services. Presents models and infrastructure necessary to implement improvements.
Author(s): William B Weeks, Justin Spelhaug, James N Weinstein, Juan M Lavista Ferres
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 762-765
Date: 03/2024
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Racial, Ethnic, and Rural Disparities in Distance to Physicians among Decedents with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias in Washington State
Evaluates travel distance to the nearest neurologist and primary care physician among people whose cause of death was related to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD) in the state of Washington. Utilizes 2011-2021 mortality data. Includes breakdowns of distance to care by race, ethnicity, and level of rurality. Highlights geographic access disparities experienced by American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hispanic people.
Author(s): Solmaz Amiri, Jonae I. Keffeler, Dennis R. Crain, Justin T. Denney, Dedra Buchwald
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 20(5), 3671–3678
Date: 03/2024
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American Clusters: Using Machine Learning to Understand Health and Health Care Disparities in the United States
Demonstrates the strengths and weaknesses of using machine learning (ML) to identify social determinants of health, healthcare access, healthcare infrastructure, and geography factors contributing to health inequalities. Discusses use of ML in policy, with different levels of geography, and in future research.
Author(s): Diane M. Bowser, Kaili Maurico, Brielle A. Ruscitti, William H. Crown
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(3)
Date: 03/2024
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