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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

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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Tribal Nursing Home & Assisted Living Facility Directory
Directory lists all the tribally operated nursing home and assisted living facilities across the country. Provides the tribal affiliation, facility name, address, certification, and number of beds for each facility.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The Emergence of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico Requires a Binational One Health Approach
Explores the "One Health" binational model for addressing Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in human and animal population on the U.S.-Mexico border. Highlights the ways physicians and veterinarians can collaborate in a cross-border response to prevent RMSF. Makes rural and urban comparisons and discusses considerations for tribal communities.
Author(s): Janet Foley, Gerardo Álvarez-Hernández, Laura H. Backus, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 262(5), 698-704
Date: 02/2024
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2023 Maine Perinatal Health Disparities Needs Assessment
Qualitative assessment of the perinatal system of care in Maine, based on information from interviews and rural focus groups. Includes information on perinatal health indicators and the perinatal workforce capacity, and offers recommendations for improvement.
Author(s): Cecelia Stewart, Allison Tippery, Hailey Marnell-Bozdag, Frances Tarbell
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
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Risk Factors and Health Behaviors Associated With Loneliness Among Cancer Survivors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Explores loneliness as a driver of negative health outcomes among cancer survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breaks down data by age, cancer type, living situation, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Elena S. Aßmann, Jennifer Ose, Cassandra A. Hathaway, et al.
Citation: Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 47, 405-421
Date: 02/2024
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Association Between a Network-Based Physician Linchpin Score and Cancer Patient Mortality: A Seer-Medicare Analysis
Presents a study on patient-sharing networks among multidisciplinary teams treating cancer patients and, specifically, the oncologists hold these networks together as "linchpins". Discusses these linchpin oncologists and evaluates the effect they have on cancer outcomes. Explores the affect this has on patients with a number of variables, including living in a rural area.
Author(s): Erika L. Moen, Rachel O. Schmidt, Tracy Onega, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 116(2), 230-238
Date: 02/2024
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Reportable Sexually Transmitted Diseases by Morbidity Responsibility Area, Illinois
Provides county-level data from the state of Illinois on provisional cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) reported during January-December of 2022 compared to January-December of 2021. Includes data breakdowns by demographic characteristics, such as sex, age, and race/ethnicity, as well as STD type, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis, and early syphilis.
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Department of Public Health
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HPV ECHO for Providers: Strengthening Opportunities to Increase HPV Vaccination Coverage in Rural Primary Care
Discusses a study using the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) Model to train rural primary care clinics to deliver evidence-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine communication to rural families in Pennsylvania. Highlights initial findings related to communication strategy and effectiveness.
Author(s): William A. Calo, Josheili Y. Llavona-Ortiz
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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