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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

Applications of Research Evidence During Processes to Acquire Approvals for Syringe Services Program Implementation in Rural Counties in Kentucky
Presents a study on the research used to implement syringe services programs (SSPs) for people who inject drugs (PWID) in rural counties in Kentucky. Discusses the methods used for applying SSP research to the program approval and implementation processes.
Author(s): Sean T. Allen, Suzanne M. Grieb, Jennifer L. Glick, et al.
Citation: Annals of Medicine, 54(1), 404–412
Date: 01/2022
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Trends in the Incidence of New‐Onset Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Among Rural and Urban Areas in the United States, 2007 to 2019
Examines 51,685,525 live births in rural and urban women between 2007 and 2019 to study incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Provides Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Natality Database statistics and data broken down by rural/urban category, demographics, and census region, among others. Discusses impacts of trend changes in hypertensive disorders in both rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Natalie A. Cameron, Ian Everitt, Laura E. Seegmiller, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 11(2)
Date: 01/2022
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Association of Rurality With Annual Repeat Lung Cancer Screening in the Veterans Health Administration
Reviews electronic health records of veterans in rural and nonrural areas who utilized Veterans Affairs medical centers from 2015 to 2019. Examines geographic trends among veteran populations who complete annual repeat lung cancer screenings. Includes information on barriers rural veterans face in accessing screenings and potential solutions to address them. Reports on rural versus nonrural data further broken down according to age, sex, race, ethnicity, and comorbidities, among other demographic information.
Author(s): Lucy B. Spalluto, Jennifer A. Lewis, Lauren R. Samuels, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American College of Radiology, 19(1 PB), 131-138
Date: 01/2022
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The Rural Household Production of Health Approach: Applying Lessons from Zambia to Rural Cancer Disparities in the U.S.
Examines the household production of health approach (HHPH) to understand how rural populations allocate resources when seeking medical treatment. Discusses how this approach can yield new understandings of rural cancer research in the U.S. that considers people's familial and cultural realities. Focuses on responsibilities in the household, particularly for women, as they relate to healthcare access.
Author(s): Mutale Chileshe, Emma Nelson Bunkley, Jean Hunleth
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(2), 974
Date: 01/2022
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Assessment of US Preventive Services Task Force Guideline-Concordant Cervical Cancer Screening Rates and Reasons for Underscreening by Age, Race and Ethnicity, Sexual Orientation, Rurality, and Insurance, 2005 to 2019
Results of a study of screening-eligible women who do not have up-to-date cervical cancer screenings, exploring their primary reasons for not receiving timely screening. Features demographic statistics including breakdowns by urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Ryan Suk, Young-Rock Hong, Suja S. Rajan, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 5(1)
Date: 01/2022
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The Effectiveness of Policies to Improve Primary Care Access for Underserved Populations: An Assessment of the Literature
Review of research literature to assess whether policy initiatives targeting primary care access for rural and underserved populations has been effective in reducing healthcare disparities. Initiatives considered include availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, and acceptability.
Additional links: Fact Sheet: Alleviating Structural Barriers to Obtaining Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Bringing Outpatient Clinics into Communities, Fact Sheet: Ensuring Comfort and Communication in the Delivery of Primary Care Services, Fact Sheet: Increasing the Availability of Primary Care Clinicians, Fact Sheet: Removing Financial Barriers to Primary Care
Author(s): Maanasa Kona, Megan Houston, Nia Gooding
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Rural and Urban Differences in Undersupply of Buprenorphine Provider Availability in the United States, 2018
Presents a study comparing county-level rates of providers with buprenorphine waivers with rates of opioid-overdose deaths and compares rural and urban areas. Details rural and urban comparisons for 38 states.
Author(s): Kevin P. Conway, Dalia Khoury, Rainer Hilscher, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 17, 5
Date: 01/2022
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Community Power in Population Health Improvement: Proceedings of a Workshop
Reports on a January 2021 workshop exploring issues related to community-driven power-building efforts to improve population health. Summarizes workshop presentations and discussions on community-led action around different population health improvement topics such as education, transportation, environmental health, healthy eating, and active living, among others. Chapter 6 includes examples of rural and tribal initiatives.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Partnering to Improve Health and Wellbeing via Community Based Care Coordination in Rural Minnesota
Case study featuring Winona Health, an independent, community-owned, and vertically integrated healthcare system serving rural Minnesota. Describes efforts underway to address the social determinants of health in the community through the Winona Wellbeing Collaborative.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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The Clinical and Business Cases for Opening a Maternity Care Unit in a CAH
A case study of a rural North Carolina partnership that worked together to add a new wing for a maternity unit at a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital. Explains how the service was planned to be financially viable. Describes maternal and infant health disparities in the region and discusses how this new service will meet the needs of patients.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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