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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

Promoting Access to Care for Women of Reproductive Age with Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders in Rural Communities
Report highlights the barriers to mental healthcare and substance use disorder treatment for rural women of reproductive age. Discusses continuity of care, access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and workforce shortages among other barriers. Presents recommendations, such as telehealth and care coordination, and provides program examples from different states.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs, Georgia Health Policy Center
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Income Disparities Widen the Gap in Oral Health of California Adults
Policy brief discussing associations between social determinants of health (SDOH) and oral health in California adults using data from the 2017 and 2018 California Health Interview Surveys (CHIS). Describes barriers related to oral health education, literacy, access to care, and oral health screening for low-income populations. Related infographic offers a map of oral health differences by region, noting disparities in rural California counties and data on income and other demographic characteristics.
Additional links: Infographic
Author(s): Nadereh Pourat, Maria Ditter
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
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Limited Access to Health Data on American Indian and Alaska Natives Impedes Population Health Insights
Presents a study on the lack of data on the health of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. Evaluates 8 different sets of population health data for AI/AN-specific data. Features an infographic outlining the findings.
Additional links: Infographic
Author(s): Tara L. Becker, Susan H. Babey, Riti Shimkhada, et al.
Date: 11/2020
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The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' Ethical Principles for Allocating Initial Supplies of COVID-19 Vaccine — United States, 2020
Discusses four ethical principles that will inform the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for the initial allocation of COVID-19 vaccine: maximizing benefits and minimizing harms; promoting justice; mitigating health inequities; and promoting transparency. The section on health inequities includes discussion of concerns for rural residents.
Author(s): Nancy McClung, Mary Chamberland, Kathy Kinlaw, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(47), 1782-1786
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Health Care Delivery System Reform: Six Policy Imperatives
Presents six recommendations for healthcare delivery system reform in order to improve quality, advance equity, and increase the affordability of healthcare in the United States. Includes specific policy recommendations for small and rural providers throughout.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Chartbook on Healthcare for Veterans
Explores the disparities in access to, and healthcare received by, veterans. Describes disparities between veterans and non-veterans, within the veteran population, and among users of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Includes rural-urban comparisons throughout.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organizations: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Environmental Scan
Reports on an environmental scan to define maternal morbidity and identify risk factors, processes, and innovations relevant to maternal morbidity and mortality care delivery and measurement. Discusses rurality as a factor influencing maternal health outcomes.
Date: 11/2020
Sponsoring organization: National Quality Forum
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Lung Cancer Staging at Diagnosis in the Veterans Health Administration: Is Rurality an Influencing Factor? A Cross‐Sectional Study
Highlights a study on the correlation between the stage of lung cancer at point of diagnosis and rurality of the patient being treated by the Veterans Health Administration. Breaks down patient data by age, race, and region, among others measures.
Author(s): Rolando Sanchez, Yunshu Zhou, Mary S. Vaughan Sarrazin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 36, 484-495
Date: 11/2020
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Pipeline Programs Can Support Reforms in Medical Education: A Cohort Study of Alabama's Rural Health Leaders Pipeline to Engage Community Leaders
Presents a study examining the efficacy of a medical education pipeline program to provide healthcare professionals for rural communities in Alabama. Details the distributions of graduates throughout the state and highlights the counties by the percentage of their populations that are rural, poor, and Black, among other measures.
Author(s): John R. Wheat, James D. Leeper
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 11/2020
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Urban–Rural Disparities in Access to Low-Dose Computed Tomography Lung Cancer Screening in Missouri and Illinois
Investigates the relationship between rurality and access to low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening. Includes county-level maps for Missouri and Illinois, with data on LDCT access, lung cancer deaths per 100,000 people, and prevalence of adult smoking.
Author(s): Karthik Rohatgi, Christine Marx, Marquita Lewis-Thames, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 11/2020
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