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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Infectious diseases

Peer-Assisted Telemedicine Hepatitis-C Treatment for People Who Use Drugs in Rural Communities: A Mixed Methods Study
Examines the Oregon HOPE TeleHCV study, which provided peer-facilitated telemedicine hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment for people who use drugs (PWUD) in rural Oregon. Utilizes survey and interview data provided by patients and clinicians to identify effective strategies for building trust and reducing barriers to treatment at the systems, clinical, and peer levels.
Author(s): Kim Hoffman, Gillian Leichtling, Sarah Shin, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 20, 10
Date: 02/2025
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Food Security Status Across the Rural-Urban Continuum Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines food insecurity across the rural-urban continuum and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access in various locations. Utilizes 2015-2019 and 2020-2021 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement (CPS FSS) data to analyze food security according to urban, large rural city/town, small rural town, or isolated rural town/area.
Author(s): Patrick J. Brady, Melissa N. Laska, Rachel Widome, Sruthi Valluri
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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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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Effectiveness of Frequent Point-of-Care Molecular COVID-19 Surveillance in a Rural Workplace: Nonrandomized Controlled Clinical Trial Among Miners
Examines the impact of a COVID-19 surveillance intervention utilizing point-of-care rapid antigen testing at rural mining sites in New Mexico and Wyoming from February 2021 to March 2022. Provides data on intervention acceptance, cumulative postbaseline seropositivity, and diagnostic accuracy.
Author(s): Akshay Sood, William "Cotton" Jarrell, Xin W. Shore, et al.
Citation: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, 2025(11), e59845
Date: 01/2025
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Differences in Influenza Testing and Treatment in Micropolitan Versus Metropolitan Areas in the U.S. Using Medicare Claims Data from 2010 to 2016
Compares rates of influenza testing and anti-viral treatment in micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas, utilizing 2010-2016 CMS billing data. Discusses the significance of geographic disparities for influenza public health response.
Author(s): Alexia Couture, F. Scott Dahlgren, Hector S. Izurieta, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 25, 291
Date: 01/2025
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Urban and Rural Differences in Cancer Treatment Disruption Among Patients With COVID-19: An Analysis of the US ASCO COVID-19 in Oncology Registry
Examines rural and urban experiences of cancer treatment delay or discontinuation associated with COVID-19 between March 2020 and September 2022, utilizing data of 3,797 cancer patients from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Survey on COVID-19 in Oncology Registry. Includes data breakdowns by demographic and clinical factors.
Author(s): Yu Chen Lin, Kea Turner, Oliver T. Nguyen, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 14(2), e70512
Date: 01/2025
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Understanding the Impact and Costs Associated with Medical Device Shortages During the COVID-19 Pandemic on Providers, Health Systems, Patients, and Manufacturers
Analyzes the U.S. medical device shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic and provides a related literature review, key stakeholder interviews, and data synthesis. Includes information on type of medical device shortages, strategies to manage shortages, and more, with a focus on shortages in nursing homes and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Linda Thai, Trinidad Beleche, Oluwarantimi Adetunji
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Examining Differences in Rural and Urban Medicare FFS Beneficiaries' Emergency Department Use Before and During COVID-19
Results of a study describing changes from 2018-2022 in emergency department use among rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries. Features statistics including patient demographics, primary diagnoses, and admission sources, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Alana Knudson, Craig D. Holden, Marilyn Klug, Tricia Stauffer, Shena Popat
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Lessons from the Pandemic: Relationship Between Patient Visits and Patient Length of Stay in California's Health System
Examines impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient utilization of California hospitals. Analyzes 2019-2021 COVID-19 cases, mortality, patient length of stay (LOS), and more in 56 California counties, with rural versus urban comparisons.
Author(s): David D. Cho, Yu Wang
Citation: Health Research Policy and Systems, 23, 11
Date: 01/2025
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Postpartum Health Care Use in Medicaid During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Implications for Extending Postpartum Coverage
Examines the impact of Medicaid continuous enrollment during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on postpartum healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2018-2023 claims data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to analyze a pre-PHE versus PHE cohort of women. Includes healthcare utilization data with breakdowns according to age, race/ethnicity, eligibility group (Medicaid or other form), rural versus urban location, maternity care desert status, severe maternal morbidity and/or chronic health condition, postpartum month, and state.
Author(s): Amelia Whitman, Anupama Warrier, Sarah Gordon, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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