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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities

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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Telehealth in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Rural Health Disparities
Investigates the potential effects of telehealth implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic on rural health disparities. Includes discussion on telehealth initiatives and barriers to accessing broadband, and provides recommendations for researchers and policymakers.
Author(s): Kelly A. Hirko, Jean M. Kerver, Sabrina Ford, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, 27(11), 1816–1818
Date: 11/2020
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Healthcare: A Key Challenge in Alabama's Black Belt
Issue brief examining healthcare access in Alabama's Black Belt region compared to national trends. Covers hospital beds in relation to population, rural hospital closures, COVID-19 strain, and policy impacts.
Author(s): Emily Jacobs, Hunter Whann, Emily Grace Corley, Jonathan Bowen, Noel Keeney
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: University of Alabama Education Policy Center
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Development and Implementation of a Telenephrology Dashboard for Active Surveillance of Kidney Disease: A Quality Improvement Project
Explores a study on the use of telehealth for early detection and intervention in cases of kidney disease among rural veterans. Evaluates a telenephrology consultation program run by the VA Health Care System at a number of locations in rural Iowa.
Author(s): Melissa L. Swee, M. Lee Sanders, Kantima Phisitkul, et al.
Citation: BCM Nephrology, 21, 424
Date: 10/2020
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Addressing Opioid Use Disorder among Rural Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Study Protocol
Explores a study examining the rates of prenatal opioid use disorder and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome in rural areas. Study includes provider-level measurements such as patient retention, adoption of evidence-based practices, and attitude towards substance misuse, among others, and patient-level measurements such as substances used, co-occurring conditions, and birth outcomes, among others.
Author(s): M. Aryana Bryan, Marcela C. Smid, Melissa Cheng, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 15, 33
Date: 10/2020
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Rural Legal Deserts Are a Critical Health Determinant
Highlights the role attorneys play in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) during the COVID-19 pandemic and how their absence in rural areas exacerbates SDOH. Discusses the concept of "legal deserts" in rural areas, how they affect SDOH, and how things have changed during the pandemic.
Author(s): Michele Statz, Paula Termuhlen
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(10), 1519-1522
Date: 10/2020
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Joint Effect of Race/Ethnicity or Location of Residence and Sex on Low Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol among Veterans with Type 2 Diabetes: A 10-year Retrospective Cohort Study
Details a study exploring the intersection of race/ethnicity, sex, and rurality in the effective management of cardiovascular disease by veterans with type 2 diabetes. Highlights the importance and difficulty of managing low-density lipoproteins (LDL) for patients with both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Breaks down data by race, sex, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Erin R. Weeda, Kinfe G. Bishu, Ralph Ward, et al.
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 20, 449
Date: 10/2020
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Association of Rurality With Availability of Youth Mental Health Facilities With Suicide Prevention Services in the US
Presents a study on the availability of suicide prevention services for youths age 15-19 at mental health facilities in rural versus urban areas. Compares the rates of prevalence of mental health facilities, youth-serving mental health facilities, and youth-serving mental health facilities with suicide prevention programs by rural-urban continuum codes.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Demetrius A. Abshire, Jessica L. Mackelprang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(10), e2021471
Date: 10/2020
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