This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Community Perspectives on Emergency Department Use and Care for American Indian Children
Explores parental and community perspectives of pediatric emergency department (ED) use for American Indian (AI) populations. Utilizes qualitative data from 70 parents who participated in focus groups to report on issues such as healthcare access, healthcare environment, and culturally insensitive interactions with professionals. Includes participants from both rural and urban areas and presents differentiated experiences according to location.
Author(s): Wyatt J. Pickner, Katherine M. Ziegler, Jessica D. Hanson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 5(5), 939-946
Date: 10/2018
view details
Geographic Representativeness of a Web-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention: Reach Equity Analysis
Compares the use of a web-based smoking cessation program by 67,854 users across large metro, small metro, and nonmetro populations throughout the United States between 2013 and 2017. Examines if the location of program participants is proportional to the national smoking population.
Author(s): Michael S. Amato, Amanda L. Graham
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 20(10), e11668
Date: 10/2018
view details
A Regional Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus Collaborative Care with Pharmacists in Indian Health Service Facilities
Reports on an Indian Health Service (IHS) review to identify and address gaps in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment of American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). The study took place at 11 separate healthcare facilities in mostly rural Oklahoma and Kansas. The HCV treatment included a strong pharmacy component with a collaborative practice agreement, and HCV telehealth services for specialist support.
Author(s): Rebecca Geiger, Jessica Steinert, Grant McElwee,et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 9, 1-5
Date: 10/2018
view details
Utilization and Adherence in Medical Homes: An Assessment of Rural-Urban Differences for People with Severe Mental Illness
Discusses whether enrollment in medical homes improves care in rural versus urban settings for people with severe mental illness (SMI). Examines utilization measures of primary care, mental health, emergency department, inpatient hospitalizations, and medication adherence using data derived from North Carolina Medicaid claims from 2004–2007.
Author(s): Mona Kilany, Joseph P. Morrissey, Marisa Elena Domino, et al.
Citation: Medical Care, 56(10), 870-876
Date: 10/2018
view details
Suicide and Firearm Injury in Utah: Linking Data to Save Lives
Report highlights data pertaining to suicides, homicides, and injuries from firearms in Utah. Compares data between rural and metro areas on a number of measures, such as suicides among youth, firearm ownership and storage, and suicide completion rates, among others.
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
view details
Allergy, Asthma, and Respiratory Disease Surveillance among American Indians in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah
Examines the prevalence of asthma, allergies, and respiratory disease among Native Americans in Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, including related hospital admissions and mortality rates. Addresses risk factors such as tobacco use and wildfire smoke, along with prevention and treatment efforts. Identifies action items for tribes, public health professionals, and individuals.
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, American Indian Research Center for Health
view details
Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Surveillance among American Indians in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah
Examines substance abuse and behavioral health indicators for American Indians/Alaskan Natives in Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Covers hospital discharges for behavioral disorders, suicide attempts and mortality, binge drinking, drug overdose mortality, hospitalizations for substance abuse including opioids, and more. Identifies action items for public health professionals, tribes, and individuals.
Date: 10/2018
Sponsoring organization: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, American Indian Research Center for Health
view details
Intraoperative Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer Treatment in a Rural Community
Examines the use of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT), an alternative treatment option compared to whole-breast radiation therapy (WBRT), for patients receiving breast-conserving surgery at an academic institution in Iowa. Includes data on patients receiving IORT and WBRT by age, distance traveled to treatment facility, postoperative outcomes, and more.
Author(s): Allison W. Lorenzen, Boris Kiriazov, James P. De Andrade, et al.
Citation: Annals of Surgical Oncology, 25(10), 3004-3010
Date: 10/2018
view details
Patchwork of Contrasting Medication Cultures Across the USA
Examines differences in prescribing patterns by geographic area, including rural/urban comparisons. Compares opioid prescribing patterns with state drug monitoring programs, disease-associated drug use with relevant death rates, use of brand versus generic drugs, and the impact of insurance rates, poverty, and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Rachel D. Melamed, Andrey Rzhetsky
Citation: Nature Communications, 9, 4022
Date: 10/2018
view details
Qualitative Case Study of Needle Exchange Programs in the Central Appalachian Region of the United States
Reports on a qualitative study in West Virginia to address barriers and identify supports that may impact the development of needle exchange programs (NEPs) in rural areas of the U.S. Interviews were conducted in West Virginia with program directors, police chiefs, law enforcement members, and people who inject drugs to obtain information on program implementation and operations, and future growth of NEPs.
Author(s): Stephen M. Davis, Danielle Davidov, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson, Keith Zullig, Adam Baus, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 13(10)
Date: 10/2018
view details