Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities
Leading State Approaches and Communication Strategies to Support Health Equity
Describes how state and territory leaders have created effective health equity practices and communication strategies. Outlines three themes that emerged through research and roundtable discussions as top health equity priorities for states. Profiles initiatives and policies from nine states and Guam to address health equity and reflect these themes.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Describes how state and territory leaders have created effective health equity practices and communication strategies. Outlines three themes that emerged through research and roundtable discussions as top health equity priorities for states. Profiles initiatives and policies from nine states and Guam to address health equity and reflect these themes.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Governors Association
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Disparities in Health Measures By Race and Ethnicity Among Beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage: A Review of the Literature
Summarizes the results of a review of 20 studies published between January 2018 and April 2023 to examine racial and ethnic disparities in quality of care and beneficiary experience among Medicare Advantage (MA) plan enrollees. Discusses gaps in data and in the literature that contribute to challenges in understanding racial and ethnic disparities in MA quality and beneficiary experience. Includes information on nine studies that explored 25 measures of quality of care received by American Indian and Alaska Native enrollees and two studies that examined disparities among MA enrollees in rural areas by race and ethnicity.
Author(s): Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Summarizes the results of a review of 20 studies published between January 2018 and April 2023 to examine racial and ethnic disparities in quality of care and beneficiary experience among Medicare Advantage (MA) plan enrollees. Discusses gaps in data and in the literature that contribute to challenges in understanding racial and ethnic disparities in MA quality and beneficiary experience. Includes information on nine studies that explored 25 measures of quality of care received by American Indian and Alaska Native enrollees and two studies that examined disparities among MA enrollees in rural areas by race and ethnicity.
Author(s): Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Addressing the Direct Care Workforce Shortage: A Bipartisan Call to Action
Report discusses direct care worker shortages throughout the country. Details shortages of home health aids, certified nursing assistants, and residential care aids, among other direct care workers, and makes recommendations for decreasing shortages. Highlights some of the added barriers faced by rural communities.
Author(s): Lisa Harootunian, Kamryn Perry, Allison Buffett, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Report discusses direct care worker shortages throughout the country. Details shortages of home health aids, certified nursing assistants, and residential care aids, among other direct care workers, and makes recommendations for decreasing shortages. Highlights some of the added barriers faced by rural communities.
Author(s): Lisa Harootunian, Kamryn Perry, Allison Buffett, et al.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Community Health Partners in Unexpected Places
Examines how health systems partner with community services such as libraries, barber shops, dollar stores, and others to improve access and reduce health disparities in minority and rural populations. Discusses strategies to increase the use of community health partners, such as co-designing with input from the community, procuring funding, building awareness of available programs, and utilizing novel means to conduct day-to-day operations.
Author(s): Michael K. Hole, Sunjay Letchuman, Allister Chang, Leonard L. Berry
Citation: Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 98(12), 1883-1841
Date: 12/2023
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Examines how health systems partner with community services such as libraries, barber shops, dollar stores, and others to improve access and reduce health disparities in minority and rural populations. Discusses strategies to increase the use of community health partners, such as co-designing with input from the community, procuring funding, building awareness of available programs, and utilizing novel means to conduct day-to-day operations.
Author(s): Michael K. Hole, Sunjay Letchuman, Allister Chang, Leonard L. Berry
Citation: Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 98(12), 1883-1841
Date: 12/2023
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America's Health Rankings Annual Report 2023
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 49 measures to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. and 38 additional measures used to track current and emerging health issues at state and national levels. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout, including data on American Indian/Alaska Native populations and metropolitan status.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 49 measures to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. and 38 additional measures used to track current and emerging health issues at state and national levels. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout, including data on American Indian/Alaska Native populations and metropolitan status.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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The Need for Better Definitions and Data on "Rural" in Health Services Research
Blog post discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Describes how the different definitions of rural can complicate understanding health disparities between and within rural areas. Offers policy recommendations for standardizing rural definitions, data collection, and research methodologies to improve population health.
Author(s): Kayla Alvis
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: AcademyHealth
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Blog post discussing the various definitions of rural used by the federal government. Describes how the different definitions of rural can complicate understanding health disparities between and within rural areas. Offers policy recommendations for standardizing rural definitions, data collection, and research methodologies to improve population health.
Author(s): Kayla Alvis
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: AcademyHealth
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Hospitals' Electronic Access to Information Needed to Treat COVID-19
Explores acute care hospitals' ability to access electronic access to information necessary to treat COVID-19 patients in 2021. Examines differences in information availability by hospital characteristics, including rurality and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status, and engagement in interoperable exchange.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel
Citation: JAMIA Open, 6(4)
Date: 12/2023
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Explores acute care hospitals' ability to access electronic access to information necessary to treat COVID-19 patients in 2021. Examines differences in information availability by hospital characteristics, including rurality and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status, and engagement in interoperable exchange.
Author(s): Chelsea Richwine, Jordan Everson, Vaishali Patel
Citation: JAMIA Open, 6(4)
Date: 12/2023
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Follicular DNA Damage and Pesticide Exposure Among Latinx Children in Rural and Urban Communities
Examines DNA double-strand breaks as an aspect of pesticide exposure among 30 Latinx children from rural, farmworker families and 15 children from urban, non-farmworker families in North Carolina, utilizing a minimally-invasive data collection method utilizing hair follicle samples and silicon wristbands. Provides data on rural-urban disparities in pesticide exposure, outside play, and use of sun protection among study participants, with additional data on seasonal variation.
Author(s): Cassandra Lepetit, Mohamed Gaber, Ke Zhou, et al.
Citation: Exposure and Health, 16, 1039-1052
Date: 11/2023
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Examines DNA double-strand breaks as an aspect of pesticide exposure among 30 Latinx children from rural, farmworker families and 15 children from urban, non-farmworker families in North Carolina, utilizing a minimally-invasive data collection method utilizing hair follicle samples and silicon wristbands. Provides data on rural-urban disparities in pesticide exposure, outside play, and use of sun protection among study participants, with additional data on seasonal variation.
Author(s): Cassandra Lepetit, Mohamed Gaber, Ke Zhou, et al.
Citation: Exposure and Health, 16, 1039-1052
Date: 11/2023
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The Role of Department of Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in Enhancing Rural Access to Geriatrics Telemedicine Specialty Care
Presents a study on the barriers and facilitators for using geriatric telemedicine through community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) to provide specialty care to older rural veterans. Bases finding on interviews with clinicians and staff from 13 rural CBOCs and makes recommendations.
Author(s): Camilla B. Pimentel, Eileen M. Dryden, Kathryn A. Nearing, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 72(2), 520-528
Date: 11/2023
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Presents a study on the barriers and facilitators for using geriatric telemedicine through community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) to provide specialty care to older rural veterans. Bases finding on interviews with clinicians and staff from 13 rural CBOCs and makes recommendations.
Author(s): Camilla B. Pimentel, Eileen M. Dryden, Kathryn A. Nearing, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 72(2), 520-528
Date: 11/2023
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2023 Rural-Urban Disparities in Health Care in Medicare
Examines rural/urban differences in the quality of healthcare received by Medicare beneficiaries in 2022, with breakdowns by race and ethnicity. Focuses on patient experience and clinical care measures, including screening for and management of health conditions, medication-related issues, and access to and availability of care.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RAND Corporation
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Examines rural/urban differences in the quality of healthcare received by Medicare beneficiaries in 2022, with breakdowns by race and ethnicity. Focuses on patient experience and clinical care measures, including screening for and management of health conditions, medication-related issues, and access to and availability of care.
Date: 11/2023
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RAND Corporation
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