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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Rural Women Have a Prolonged Recovery Process after Esophagectomy
Examines esophagectomy treatment and outcomes among rural and urban women and men using 2003-2022 patient care data from a high-volume cancer center. Discusses sex-based and geographic disparities in esophageal cancer surgery recovery and care access, and highlights the need for interventions to improve care for rural women.
Author(s): Julia Schroeder, Kiran Lagisetty, William Lynch, et al.
Citation: Cancers, 16(6), 1078
Date: 03/2024
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Breast Cancer Screening among Medicare Advantage Enrollees with Dementia
Compares rates of mammogram screening among screening-eligible women with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) using 2012-2019 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data. Compares screening rates of Medicare Advantage and fee-for-service Medicare enrollees, with data breakdowns by race and ethnicity, rural versus urban status, and more. Identifies potential risks related to over-screening.
Author(s): Eli Raver, Wendy Y. Xu, Jean Jung, Sunmin Lee
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 283
Date: 03/2024
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Associations of Medical Debt With Health Status, Premature Death, and Mortality in the US
Results of a study of 2,943 counties, to examine whether medical debt in collections is associated with population health at the county level. Includes county-level maps showing rates and median amounts of medical debt as of 2018, and statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan or nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Xuesong Han, Xin Hu, Zhiyuan Zheng, Kewei Sylvia Shi, K. Robin Yabroff
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(3), e2354766
Date: 03/2024
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Ten-Year Outcomes: Community Health Center/Academic Medicine Partnership for Rural Family Medicine Training
Examines practice characteristics for 25 North Carolina rural pathway graduates from 2012-2022, using data from internal registries and public sources. Identifies rates of postgraduation placement in rural and federally-designated Health Professional Shortage Areas, and assesses current placements for graduates one year and three years from program completion. Features demographics with breakdowns including rural or nonrural background.
Author(s): Maria Gabriela Castro, Caroline Roberts, Emily M. Hawes, Evan Ashkin, Cristen P. Page
Citation: Family Medicine, 56(3), 185-189
Date: 03/2024
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Use of In-Network Insurance Benefits Is Critical for Improving Retention in Telehealth-Based Buprenorphine Treatment
Evaluated 3,842 patients in an opioid use disorder (OUD) telehealth company to identify associations in insurance status and treatment program retention. Patient characteristic data includes breakdown by urbanicity, demographic characteristics, buprenorphine status, and more.
Author(s): Arthur Robin Williams, Christopher Row, Lexie Minarik, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(3)
Date: 03/2024
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Cannabis Donation as a Harm Reduction Strategy: A Case Study
Analyzes harm reduction practices to address overdose mortality rates in the U.S. by exploring the outcomes of a cannabis donation program operated in rural Michigan. Examines the program's operational logistics, feasibility, sales and donation statistics, potential benefits, and impacts of substituting cannabis in place of other substances.
Author(s): Sarah E. Duhart Clarke, Grant Victor, Pamela Lynch, Leslie W. Suen, Bradley Ray
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 21, 58
Date: 03/2024
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The Influence of Transformations in Supply on Methamphetamine Initiation Among People Injecting Opioids in the United States
Discusses the co-use of methamphetamine (MA) and opioids (pharmaceutical pills, heroin and fentanyls) through interview and observation of 30 individuals in West Virginia. Explores drug initiation and supply as well as evolving cultural beliefs and taboos of drug use, including those related to rural spaces in West Virginia.
Author(s): Sarah Mars, Jeff Ondocsin, Nicole Holm, Daniel Ciccarone
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 21, 57
Date: 03/2024
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Inflation Reduction Act Research Series: Projected Impacts for Rural Medicare Enrollees
Provides an overview of how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is intended to improve prescription drug affordability for Medicare enrollees. Describes Medicare enrollment in rural areas and rural residents' health status and access to care. Outlines the projected impact of drug-related IRA provisions for rural Medicare beneficiaries, including the expansion of financial assistance through the low-income subsidy program, out-of-pocket spending caps for insulin, changes in Part D benefit design, and more.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Cross-Sectional Analysis of Primary Care Clinics' Policies, Practices, and Availability of Patient Support Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines healthcare access related to missed or no-show appointments, with a focus on patient barriers, no-show policies, and patient support services. Analyzes survey responses from Nebraska primary care clinics, examining rural versus urban differences in clinic ability to address social determinants of health (SDOH).
Author(s): Kendra L. Ratnapradipa, Runqiu Wang, Josiane Kabayundo, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 279
Date: 03/2024
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Rural Health Research Recap: Post-Acute Care in Rural Areas: The Role of Swing Beds and Nursing Homes
Offers statistics on availability of post-acute care in rural areas through skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospice, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and swing beds. Includes sections on prospective payment system and cost-based reimbursement, and provides statistics on the proportion of nursing home closures in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas from 2008-2018.
Author(s): Per Ostmo
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Research Gateway
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