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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

Exposure to Climate Events and Mental Health: Risk and Protective Factors from the California Health Interview Survey
Examines the association between personal characteristics and negative mental health effects following exposure to extreme weather, utilizing data from the 2021 California Health Interview survey. Analyzes characteristics including age, race, sex, education, housing stability, neighborhood safety, level of rurality, and more.
Author(s): Daniel Zhao, Elissa Epel, Elaine Allen, Alison R. Hwong
Citation: PLoS Climate, 3(8), e0000387
Date: 08/2024
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Oregon by the Numbers - Key Measures for Oregon and Its Counties
Breaks down demographic and socioeconomic data in Oregon by county. Highlights data on various measures for each county such as food insecurity, unemployment rate, adult smoking, broadband access, and percent rural versus urban, among others.
Additional links: En Español
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Ford Family Foundation, Oregon State University Rural Studies Program
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Healthiest Communities 2024
Presents data and comparative rankings for urban and rural counties describing population health, health equity, education, housing, food and nutrition, and environment, among other indicators. Includes peer group rankings for rural high-performing and up-and-coming counties. Offers searchable county data at the bottom of the page by county name or ZIP code.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. News & World Report
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Virginia's Rural Response and Relief Program
Provides an overview of Virginia's mini grant program that addresses social determinants of health. Includes information on local health initiatives and lessons learned during the mini grant process.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Structural Determinants of Health: Hospitals' Unequal Capital Investments Drive Health Inequities
Examines hospitals' capital investments as a structural factor influencing disparities in patient safety and quality of care at hospitals in the United States. Analyzes topics including hospital economics, federal policy, funding, hospital infrastructure, and more. See Section 5 in particular for discussion of rural hospitals.
Author(s): Eileen Appelbaum, Emma Curchin, Rosemary Batt
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
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Factors Associated With Surveillance Testing in Individuals With COVID-19 Symptoms During the Last Leg of the Pandemic: Multivariable Regression Analysis
Examines demographic, clinical, and behavioral factors associated with COVID-19 testing in a predominantly rural, underserved population in West Virginia between May and November 2022. Utilizes Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics for Underserved Populations program (RADx-UP2) survey data of 2103 individuals. Includes a geospatial analysis of associations between county-level community distress and likelihood of being symptomatic when presenting for testing.
Author(s): Timothy Dotson, Brad Price, Brian Witrick, et al.
Citation: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 2024(10), e52762
Date: 07/2024
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Comprehensive Assessment of Pesticide Use Patterns and Increased Cancer Risk
Evaluates the impact of the use of 60 different agricultural pesticides on cancer rates at the county level. Discusses trends for 6 types of cancers, the relation to agricultural productivity, and accounting for various socioeconomic variables.
Author(s): Jacob Gerken, Gear Thomas Vincent, Demi Zapata, Ileana G. Barron, Isain Zapata
Citation: Frontiers in Cancer Control and Society, 2, 1368086
Date: 07/2024
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Adverse Childhood Experiences: Health Care Utilization And Expenditures In Adulthood
Uses 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey-Household Component data to estimate healthcare utilization and expenditures for adults with and without adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in addition to various health conditions and behaviors. Exhibit 1 includes prevalence and relative risk of various demographic and geographic factors by number of ACEs. Discusses policy implications of study findings.
Author(s): Thomas M. Selden, Didem M. Bernard, Sandra L. Decker, Zhengyi Fang
Citation: Health Affairs, 43(8)
Date: 07/2024
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The State of Mental Health in America
Report presents data on mental health and substance use for youth and adults across all 50 states. Highlights barriers to mental health wellness, such as lack of mental healthcare coverage, mental health workforce shortages, and cost of treatment, among other factors. Discusses some challenges specific to rural communities.
Author(s): Maddy Reinert, Danielle Fritze, Theresa Nguyen
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
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Report to Congress: Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis in the United States: An Update from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Reports on efforts by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to improve maternal health outcomes, including programs related to care delivery, access to care, and social factors influencing health. Presents data and discussion of maternal health trends, identifies key drivers, highlights relevant HHS programs and actions, and presents a framework to measure progress. Details rural access and outcome disparities and features rural-focused programs.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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