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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

High-Risk Outreach for COVID-19 Mortality Reduction in an Indigenous Community
Explores the public health disparities in rural indigenous communities based on COVID-19 mortality rates. Discusses methods for mortality reduction in pandemic response procedures and general public health policy in Native American communities.
Author(s): Myles J. Stone, Ryan M. Close, Christopher K. Jentoft, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 111(11), 1939–1941
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
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For Want of a Dentist: The Rise of the Dental Therapy Movement in Tribal Nations and the U.S.
Report discusses the role of dental therapists in tribal communities to address oral health workforce shortages. Details the history of oral health professional shortages, highlights the populations bearing the burden of the shortages, and describes how tribal communities have used dental therapists to improve access to oral healthcare.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: W. K. Kellogg Foundation
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Gradual Adoption of Needle Biopsy for Breast Lesions in a Rural State
Examines disparities in minimally invasive breast biopsy (MIBB) usage in rural and urban areas of Vermont, based on 9,122 diagnostic episodes from 1999 to 2018. Includes demographic data of women who underwent biopsy broken down by age, history of breast biopsy, education, and rural versus urban residence. Discusses efforts to eliminate disparities in relationship to MIBB rates to improve standard of care.
Author(s): Serena Murphy, Yi-Chuan Yu, Colleen Kerrigan, Brian Sprague, Michelle Sowden
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 10(23), 8320-8327
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
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Missouri Health Assessment
Describes the Missouri state health status assessment, community themes and strengths, state health system assessment, and forces of change. Mentions rural throughout and includes statistics showing disparities between urban and rural areas for various health issues.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
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Annual Influenza Vaccination Disparities in Medicare Beneficiaries
Explores disparities among Medicare beneficiaries who received influenza vaccinations in 2019 and 2020. Presents data on influenza vaccinations by race and ethnicity, sex, and urban-rural residence. Compares data for Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage enrollees.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Sociodemographic and Geographic Disparities of Prostate Cancer Treatment Delay in Tennessee: A Population-Based Study
Examines 2005-2015 Tennessee Cancer Registry data of adults with prostate cancer to determine the relationship between population characteristics and prostate cancer treatment delay. Discusses geographic residence, insurance status, and social determinants of health (SDOH) such as race, marital status, and others. An urban versus rural breakdown is included.
Author(s): Francisco A. Montiel Ishino, Emmanuel A. Odame, Kevin Villalobos, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Men's Health, 15(6)
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
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Challenges of Addressing Opioid Use Disorder in Rural Settings: A State Perspective
Highlights a study on evidence-based approaches to addressing rural opioid/substance use disorder (OUD/SUD) treatment, prevention, and recovery that can be applied at the state level. Presents 5 different considerations for addressing rural OUD/SUD and uses Maine as an example.
Author(s): Lisa M.Letourneau
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 152(2)
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
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At the Heart of Community-Engaged Research in Halifax County, N.C.
Describes a research project through North Carolina Central University (NCCU) that examines health disparities in rural Halifax County, NC and that places emphasis on building trust between researchers and the community. Discusses community-engaged research methodologies and the process of training researchers to conduct such research.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
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2019 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report: Chartbook on Rural Health Care
Summarizes trends in healthcare quality and disparities for rural populations. Includes quality measures for access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, effective treatment, healthy living, and affordability.
Author(s): Barbara Barton, Romsai Tony Boonyasai, Cecilia Hahn
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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NIH Rural Health Seminar: Structural-Level Determinants of Rural Health Disparities
Recording of a seminar that examines structural-level determinants of rural health disparities, including sociocultural and economic determinants, physical environmental determinants, and research, evaluation, measurement, and policy methods and implications.
Additional links: Seminar Agenda, Speaker Biographies
Date: 11/2021
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organizations: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health
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