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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Needs assessment methods and resources

Cancer Clinical Trials: Federal Actions and Selected Non-Federal Practices to Facilitate Diversity of Patients
Examines actions taken by federal agencies to increase diverse population enrollment in cancer clinical trials as well as practices by non-federal cancer centers to facilitate diverse enrollment. Discusses strategies such as collaboration, reducing barriers, data standardization, training, utilization of community ambassadors, and more. Focuses on inclusion of underrepresented groups such as racial/ethnic minorities, young adults, older adults, those with low incomes, women, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons, and people living in rural communities.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Future of Population Health Efforts for Rural Health Systems
Slides presented at the Becker's Hospital Review 10th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable Conference in November 2022. Discusses approaches to understanding and addressing social determinants of health, including community health needs assessments (CHNAs) and Accountable Health Communities (AHCs), and offers links to tools and resources. Highlights needs addressed and implementation challenges faced by two rural AHCs.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller
Date: 11/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Using Maps to Inform Decisions about Child Care and Early Education
Discusses how utilizing maps can assist childcare and early education (CCEE) leaders and partners in the planning of policy, resource allocation, supply building, and family support strategies. Provides county-level examples of maps and discusses technical considerations related to making local decisions about CCEE availability and access.
Author(s): Van-Kim Lin, Erin Bumgarner, Dayne Ornelas Gonzalez, Kelly Maxwell
Date: 10/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, Child Trends
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Mastering Complex Geographies on data.census.gov
Webinar recording discusses how to use the data.census.gov mapping feature to identify complex geographies. Highlights tips and tricks for identifying and mapping different datasets on rural and tribal areas.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Date: 05/2022
Type: Video/Multimedia
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Engaging Communities Through Issues Forums: A How-To Guide for Onsite and Online Community Engagement
Offers guidance on community forums as a technical education tool, including information on planning and hosting a forum, strategies for engaging communities, and resources to support committees and stakeholders. Features examples from forums on farm vitality, farmer mental health, and family health. Requires email registration to view the guide as a flipbook, with a PDF download option at the bottom of the screen.
Author(s): Maria Pippidis, Bonnie Braun, Jessie Ketterman, Shoshanah Inwood, Nicole Wright
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Cooperative Extension Service
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Examining Child Maltreatment Reports Using Linked County-Level Data
Report examining the insights that county-level data can provide on child maltreatment based on various national sources, including the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), the U.S. Census, and others. Investigates rural-specific data and rural/nonrural comparisons in associations between risk factors, report rates, child poverty, and child maltreatment.
Author(s): Brenda Smith, Qingyi Li, Kun Wang
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Linking Administrative Data to Improve Understanding of Child Maltreatment Incidence and Related Risk and Protective Factors: A Feasibility Study
Examines the feasibility of linking data from local, state, and federal administrative agencies, such as child welfare, health, social service, education, and others, in order to produce new information on child maltreatment. Discusses rural-specific data concerns.
Author(s): Andrea Mraz Esposito, Claire Smither Wulsin, Leah Pranschke, Andrew Burwick, Rebekka Nickman
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Human Services Programs in Rural Contexts: Mixed Methods Analysis, Integration, and Triangulation Plan
Analysis plan outlining the research design and methodology of a study of human services delivery in rural areas funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB). Covers stakeholder engagement, research questions and qualitative data collection, data analysis, and integration of findings.
Author(s): Dallas J. Elgin, Kelly McAleer, James Murdoch, et al.
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: 2M Research, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Urban Institute
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Broadband: FCC Is Taking Steps to Accurately Map Locations that Lack Access
Describes efforts by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to develop a location fabric, a geographically specific, granular dataset, representing existing and necessary broadband deployment sites. Presents findings from an examination of potential geographic data sources, surveys of 44 states and territories, and interviews with state and federal agency stakeholders. Discusses limitations related to the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of location data.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Community Assessment for Mental and Physical Health Effects After Hurricane Irma — Florida Keys, May 2019
Reports results from the use of Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) to evaluate suicide risk in a micropolitan county with frequent hurricane landfall. Discusses the need to include long-term mental health service delivery as part of emergency preparedness planning for disasters such as hurricanes.
Author(s): Yaritbel Torres-Mendoza, Alison Kerr, Amy Helene Schnall, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 70(26), 937-941
Date: 07/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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