Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Opioid Use Among Rural Medicare Beneficiaries
Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Examines trends in prescription opioid use among Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas, utilizing 2010-2017 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data. Provides data on receipt of opioid prescriptions among community-dwelling and facility-dwelling beneficiaries, associations between prescribing and chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), and prescriptions exceeding CDC guidelines. Includes rural-urban comparisons.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Heidi O'Connor, Karen Pearson, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Impact of a Diabetic Retinal Exam Screening Program on Quality Measure Gaps at a Family Medicine Practice
Examines access to diabetic retinal exams and the impact of their availability on quality measures at a rural family medicine center in southwestern Pennsylvania. Includes data on diabetic retinal screenings and associated factors related to exam access.
Author(s): Michael Hair, Alexandra Tardugno, Alyssa Greenaway, Chelse Wisenor, Autumn Stewart-Lynch
Citation: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 65(1)
Date: 01/2025
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Examines access to diabetic retinal exams and the impact of their availability on quality measures at a rural family medicine center in southwestern Pennsylvania. Includes data on diabetic retinal screenings and associated factors related to exam access.
Author(s): Michael Hair, Alexandra Tardugno, Alyssa Greenaway, Chelse Wisenor, Autumn Stewart-Lynch
Citation: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 65(1)
Date: 01/2025
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Health Panel Comment Letter – Contract Year 2026 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage Program
Offers comments in response to a December 10, 2024, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage program for contract year 2026. Discusses transparency and access to pharmacy services and prescription drugs, network adequacy, notice to providers, and more.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to a December 10, 2024, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage program for contract year 2026. Discusses transparency and access to pharmacy services and prescription drugs, network adequacy, notice to providers, and more.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Impaired Driving Among Rural Appalachian Women in the Year Following Incarceration
Results of a study examining impaired driving following incarceration and predictors of impaired driving in sample of rural Appalachian women with a history of drug use and risky sex. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by risk factor.
Author(s): J. Matthew Webster, Megan F. Dickson, Shawn M. Jamison, Michele Staton
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 105-114
Date: 01/2025
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Results of a study examining impaired driving following incarceration and predictors of impaired driving in sample of rural Appalachian women with a history of drug use and risky sex. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by risk factor.
Author(s): J. Matthew Webster, Megan F. Dickson, Shawn M. Jamison, Michele Staton
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 105-114
Date: 01/2025
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Comparative Outcomes Following Randomization to a Pilot Facebook-Based HIV Prevention Intervention Among Appalachian Women Involved in the Criminal Legal System
Results of a study to determine whether enhancing an HIV prevention intervention with additional modules improves service access for Appalachian women following release from jail. Uses data from surveys conducted between 2019-2022.
Author(s): Megan F. Dickson, Erika Pike, Michele Staton
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 81-96
Date: 01/2025
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Results of a study to determine whether enhancing an HIV prevention intervention with additional modules improves service access for Appalachian women following release from jail. Uses data from surveys conducted between 2019-2022.
Author(s): Megan F. Dickson, Erika Pike, Michele Staton
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 81-96
Date: 01/2025
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Kansas Prenatal Care Report, 2023
Examines the adequacy of prenatal care for women in Kansas in 2023. Utilizes the Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization (APNCU) index to provide county-level and peer group statistics, including rural and frontier areas, on prenatal care, with further data breakdowns by age and insurance type. Includes map showing county rate of receiving inadequate prenatal care.
Author(s): Cathryn Savage
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Department of Health and Environment
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Examines the adequacy of prenatal care for women in Kansas in 2023. Utilizes the Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization (APNCU) index to provide county-level and peer group statistics, including rural and frontier areas, on prenatal care, with further data breakdowns by age and insurance type. Includes map showing county rate of receiving inadequate prenatal care.
Author(s): Cathryn Savage
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Department of Health and Environment
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Current Attitudes and Barriers Among Appalachian Patients Towards Orthopaedic Surgery
Describes challenges faced by southern West Virginia rural residents in accessing orthopedic care, due to geographic and socioeconomic barriers. Uses data from 132 electronic surveys collected from patients during an appointment with their primary care provider at an affiliated outreach clinic.
Author(s): Dylan Smith, Justin B. West, Wade Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 67-80
Date: 01/2025
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Describes challenges faced by southern West Virginia rural residents in accessing orthopedic care, due to geographic and socioeconomic barriers. Uses data from 132 electronic surveys collected from patients during an appointment with their primary care provider at an affiliated outreach clinic.
Author(s): Dylan Smith, Justin B. West, Wade Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 67-80
Date: 01/2025
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Investigating Suicide Risk Factors Among Appalachian West Virginian Adults
Results of a study exploring lifetime suicide risk in West Virginia. Identifies factors driving urban-rural differences in suicide risk, using survey data from the 2021 Mountain State Assessment of Trends in Community Health. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Erin D. Caswell, Angela M. Dyer, Summer D. Hartley
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 41-66
Date: 01/2025
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Results of a study exploring lifetime suicide risk in West Virginia. Identifies factors driving urban-rural differences in suicide risk, using survey data from the 2021 Mountain State Assessment of Trends in Community Health. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Erin D. Caswell, Angela M. Dyer, Summer D. Hartley
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 41-66
Date: 01/2025
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Analyzing Temporal Patterns in Frequent Emergency Department Visits among Oncology Patients Using Semantic Similarity Measures
Analyzes patterns in frequent emergency department (ED) use among patients with and without cancer, utilizing 2018-2019 ED visit data of 5 rural and 5 urban Illinois hospitals. Compares patient characteristics, cancer versus non-cancer patient mix, and proximity to care in rural and urban EDs. Discusses cancer patients as a priority group for improving access and service delivery to produce better outcomes and reduce emergency services use.
Author(s): Hyojung Kang, Lloyd Fernandes, John P. Riordan
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 89, 51-56
Date: 01/2025
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Analyzes patterns in frequent emergency department (ED) use among patients with and without cancer, utilizing 2018-2019 ED visit data of 5 rural and 5 urban Illinois hospitals. Compares patient characteristics, cancer versus non-cancer patient mix, and proximity to care in rural and urban EDs. Discusses cancer patients as a priority group for improving access and service delivery to produce better outcomes and reduce emergency services use.
Author(s): Hyojung Kang, Lloyd Fernandes, John P. Riordan
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 89, 51-56
Date: 01/2025
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Access to Firearms and Opioids Among Veterans at Risk for Suicide
Analyzes rates of access to firearms and opioids, gun safety practices, and being provided or declining naloxone or firearm locks among 38,454 veterans at risk for suicide, utilizing 2021-2023 Veterans Health Administration electronic health record data. Includes demographic breakdowns, including rural versus urban dwelling.
Author(s): Gabriela Kattan Khazanov, Matthew Wilson, Tom Cidav, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2456906
Date: 01/2025
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Analyzes rates of access to firearms and opioids, gun safety practices, and being provided or declining naloxone or firearm locks among 38,454 veterans at risk for suicide, utilizing 2021-2023 Veterans Health Administration electronic health record data. Includes demographic breakdowns, including rural versus urban dwelling.
Author(s): Gabriela Kattan Khazanov, Matthew Wilson, Tom Cidav, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2456906
Date: 01/2025
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