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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

For Want of a Dentist: The Rise of the Dental Therapy Movement in Tribal Nations and the U.S.
Report discusses the role of dental therapists in tribal communities to address oral health workforce shortages. Details the history of oral health professional shortages, highlights the populations bearing the burden of the shortages, and describes how tribal communities have used dental therapists to improve access to oral healthcare.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: W. K. Kellogg Foundation
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Accessing Oral Health Care in Rural Areas
A tip sheet that discusses how pregnant people and children struggle to access oral healthcare in rural areas. Provides strategies for Head Start staff to extend oral healthcare access to rural families.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start
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Emergency Department Visits for Suicidal Ideation and Self-Harm in Rural and Urban Youth
Presents a study comparing rates of emergency room visits among youth aged 5 to 19 for suicidal ideation and/or self-harm in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by age, household income, and rural-urban hospital status, among other measures.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Hoffmann, Matt Hall, Doug Lorenz, Jay Berry
Citation: The Journal of Pediatrics, 238, 282-289
Date: 11/2021
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Incidence of Screening-Detectable Cancers among Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native Populations 2014–2018 (Purchased/Referred Care Delivery Areas)
Data brief examining the incidence of screening-detectable cancers, including colorectal, lung, female breast, and cervical, among the non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native population as a whole and by sex from 2014 to 2018. Includes a regional analysis of incidence rates for screening-detectable cancers.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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North Dakota Department of Health Biennial Report: 2019-2021
Highlights the goals and accomplishments of the North Dakota Department of Health during the 2019-2021 biennium, in the areas of community health, emergency preparedness and response, environmental health, health resources, medical services, and local public health units. Includes information on rural healthcare facilities and rural health promotion programs.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services
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Gradual Adoption of Needle Biopsy for Breast Lesions in a Rural State
Examines disparities in minimally invasive breast biopsy (MIBB) usage in rural and urban areas of Vermont, based on 9,122 diagnostic episodes from 1999 to 2018. Includes demographic data of women who underwent biopsy broken down by age, history of breast biopsy, education, and rural versus urban residence. Discusses efforts to eliminate disparities in relationship to MIBB rates to improve standard of care.
Author(s): Serena Murphy, Yi-Chuan Yu, Colleen Kerrigan, Brian Sprague, Michelle Sowden
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 10(23), 8320-8327
Date: 11/2021
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Annual Influenza Vaccination Disparities in Medicare Beneficiaries
Explores disparities among Medicare beneficiaries who received influenza vaccinations in 2019 and 2020. Presents data on influenza vaccinations by race and ethnicity, sex, and urban-rural residence. Compares data for Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage enrollees.
Date: 11/2021
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Community Oncologists' Perceptions and Utilization of Large-Panel Genomic Tumor Testing
Examines perceptions of large-panel genomic tumor testing (GTT) among 58 predominantly rural community oncology physicians in Maine. Reports clinicians' confidence in GTT, attitudes toward GTT, and perceived barriers to implementation.
Author(s): Eric C. Anderson, Alexandra C. Hinton, Christine W. Lary, et al.
Citation: BMC Cancer, 21, 1273
Date: 11/2021
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National Study on the Contribution of Family Physicians to the US Emergency Physician Workforce in 2020
Results of a study of family physicians who provide emergency care, using data from the 2020 American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Features county-level maps showing density of family medicine emergency physicians, and statistics including urban, large rural, or small rural location.
Author(s): Christopher L. Bennett, W. Anthony Gerard, John S. Cullen, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34(6), 1221-1228
Date: 11/2021
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Losses, Gains, and Changes to the Food Environment in a Rural Kentucky County during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Results of a study conducted in rural Laurel County, Kentucky, regarding changes to the food environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers suggestions for future programming to address inequitable access and response during public health emergencies.
Author(s): Makenzie L. Barr, Courtney Martin, Courtney Luecking, Kathryn Cardarelli
Citation: Nutrients, 13(11), 3929
Date: 11/2021
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