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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Housing and homelessness

Addressing Social Determinants of Health: Examples of Successful Evidence-Based Strategies and Current Federal Efforts
Provides an overview of efforts to address social determinants of health (SDOH) that impact people of color, LGBTQ+ persons, individuals living in rural areas, and people with disabilities. Discusses housing, food and nutrition, transportation, social and economic mobility, and social service connections in terms of community (upstream) and individual (downstream) SDOH impacts.
Author(s): Amelia Whitman, Nancy De Lew, Andre Chappel, et al.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide in Chronic Disease Through Community Engagement in Health Program Delivery
Discusses health disparities in rural versus urban communities in North Carolina and possible solutions for community-centered change. Includes charts and maps that detail rural-urban differences in mortality, heart disease, and housing problems.
Author(s): Lori Carter-Edwards, Monica M. Taylor
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 83(2), 103-106
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
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USDA Rural Housing Programs: An Overview
Outlines housing programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Rural Housing Service (RHS) and targeted specifically to residents of rural communities. Describes trends related to Section 502 Direct and Guaranteed Loans. Highlights policy proposals regarding multifamily housing preservation and the administration of rural housing programs. Includes information on the appropriations of rural housing programs between fiscal years 2017-2021.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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An Update on Maturing Mortgages in USDA's Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Program
Examines changes in the USDA's Section 515 housing availability between 2016 and 2021 to report the availability of properties eligible for USDA rental assistance for rural households and communities. Includes maps showing locations of USDA Section 515 housing properties, charts explaining housing trends, and additional information about low-income housing.
Author(s): Michael Feinberg
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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They Built My Soul: A Qualitative Analysis of the Impacts of Home Repairs in Rural Tennessee
Reports results of 28 interviews with rural Tennessee residents who received housing repairs from the Appalachia Service Project, a nonprofit ministry focused on housing improvement. Identifies discussion themes and comments related to environmental risk, physical health, mental health, financial well-being, and willingness to receive assistance from service organizations. Discusses housing as a social determinant of health, and highlights rural and Appalachian housing and health needs.
Author(s): Bethesda O'Connell, Ada Sloop, Nicole Intagliata, Melisa Miller, Megan Quinn
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 4(1), 9-19
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
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Federal Plan for Equitable Long-Term Recovery and Resilience for Social, Behavioral, and Community Health
Details an approach for federal agencies to cooperatively strengthen the conditions necessary to improve individual and community resilience and well-being nationwide. Designed to guide long-term investment using the Vital Conditions for Health and Well-Being Framework. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Strengths and Stressors in Region XI Head Start: The Role of Social Support and Economic Condition in the Well-Being of Children and Families from AIAN FACES 2019
Report examining the effects of social support and economic conditions on family well-being for American Indian and Alaska Native communities based on data from the 2019 American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (AIAN FACES). Provides data on cultural activities, food and housing, parental material hardships, supports, and income and discusses family well-being in relation to child physical and behavioral health.
Author(s): Sara Bernstein, Katie Gonzalez, Sharika Rakibullah, Lizabeth Malone, Jeffrey Harrington
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: ACF Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, Mathematica
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Virginia Rural Health Plan 2022-2026
Identifies key objectives and priorities for rural health in Virginia including broadband access, healthy housing, transportation, nutrition and food security, maternal and child health, access to healthcare services, behavioral health, aging in place, and workforce development. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and nonrural areas.
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Virginia State Office of Rural Health
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"It's the Relationships": Q&A with Peggy Broussard Wheeler
An interview with Peggy Broussard Wheeler, Vice President of Policy at the California Hospital Association. Covers the challenges rural hospitals face during the pandemic, health equity efforts, workforce issues, and more. Discusses how rural hospitals work together to address concerns.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Disaster Recovery: School Districts in Socially Vulnerable Communities Faced Heightened Challenges after Recent Natural Disasters
Examines 5 school districts in socially vulnerable communities and describes problems faced by students after disasters, including housing instability, food insecurity, and lack of access to mental health services, especially in rural communities. Includes a state- and territory-level map showing school districts that received federal recovery grants for 2017-2019 presidentially-declared disasters.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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