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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Older adults

Elder Veterans Tend to Reside in Rural Counties and Near Military Bases
Map showing counties with a concentration of working-age and elder veterans, a concentration of working-age veterans, or a concentration of elder veterans, based on 2011-2015 American Community Survey data. Also identifies locations of military installations, ranges, and training areas.
Date: 07/2018
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Aging: Health and Community Policy Implications for Reversing Social Isolation
Summarizes discussions from a stakeholder meeting regarding reversing social isolation among rural seniors. Highlights three objectives: a common understanding, actionable solutions, and awareness. Discusses the economic and health impacts of isolation for aging rural residents. Covers policy recommendations.
Date: 07/2018
Sponsoring organization: Bipartisan Policy Center
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Examining Urban and Rural Differences in Perceived Timeliness of Care among Cancer Patients: A SEER‐CAHPS Study
Analyzes Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results–Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (SEER‐CAHPS) survey data for rural and urban Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older diagnosed with breast, lung, colorectal, or prostate cancer between 1998 and 2013 to explore associations between patient residence at cancer diagnosis and patient ratings of access to care.
Author(s): Michelle A. Mollica, Kathryn E. Weaver, Timothy S. McNeel, Erin E. Kent
Citation: Cancer, 124(15), 3257-3265
Date: 06/2018
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Mapping Pharmacy Deserts and Determining Accessibility to Community Pharmacy Services for Elderly Enrolled in a State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program
Identifies pharmacy deserts and examines the availability and accessibility of community pharmacies. Evaluates their services provided to the elderly receiving assistance from the State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program (SPAP) in rural and urban Pennsylvania.
Author(s): Priti Pednekar, Andrew Peterson
Citation: PLoS One, 13(6), e0198173
Date: 06/2018
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Impact of Nurse Practitioner Practice Regulations on Rural Population Health Outcomes
Analyzes data from Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) in eight Southeastern states to determine if clinical outcomes of Medicare beneficiaries vary by level of practice autonomy that states grant to nurse practitioners (NPs).
Author(s): Judith Ortiz, Richard Hofler, Angeline Bushy, et al.
Citation: Healthcare, 6(2), 65
Date: 06/2018
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Ray of Hope Behavioral Health Program: Cottage Hospital – Woodsville, NH
Describes Cottage Hospital, a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital, providing healthcare services to a large region of New Hampshire and Vermont, with an additional 10 beds for the Ray of Hope behavioral health program designed for older adults. Discusses the Ray of Hope program and covers impacts, lessons learned, and future goals of the program.
Date: 06/2018
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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What Unites and Divides Urban, Suburban and Rural Communities
Report highlights different outcomes and opinions of people in rural, suburban, and urban communities on a number of topics, including demographic shifts, urgent problems, and life satisfaction, among others. Features demographic data, a county level breakdown, and a case study highlighting a rural, suburban, and urban county.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Kim Parker, Juliana Horowitz, Anna Brown, et al.
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Pew
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The Health Care Workforce: Addressing Shortages and Improving Care
Testimony in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions on May 22, 2018. Examines the growing problem of healthcare shortages in rural areas and the response by the federal government. Also explores how well healthcare professionals are being trained and why they choose the geographical areas where they work. Focuses on shortages of physicians, nurses, and professionals specializing in care of older adults.
Additional links: Testimony by Elizabeth A. Phelan, Testimony by Julie Tanner Sanford, Testimony by Kristen H. Goodell
Author(s): Kristen Goodell, Julie Sanford, Elizabeth Phelan
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions
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Using Telehealth to Improve Home-Based Care for Older Adults and Family Caregivers
Describes consumer perspectives and policy concerns with telehealth. Includes examples of home telehealth strategies, potential benefits and challenges, and discussion of home telehealth coverage in federal and state programs, including the Veterans Health Administration, Medicaid, and Medicare.
Author(s): Winifred V. Quinn, Ellen O'Brien, Gregg Springan
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: AARP Public Policy Institute
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America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2018
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health for older adults across 34 measures, as well as two supplemental measures new in 2018: suicide rate and risk of social isolation. Includes a special focus on persistent health differences and challenges facing rural seniors.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 05/2018
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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