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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Pharmacy and prescription drugs

House Select Committee on Opioids and Substance Abuse: Interim Report to the 86th Texas Legislature
Provides a comprehensive report on substance abuse and opioid misuse in Texas, summarizing the current issues and what Texas programs, policies, and agencies are doing to address them. Reviews implementation of the state prescription monitoring program; state Good Samaritan laws; and the impact of substance abuse on various stakeholders and population groups, such as pregnant women and first responders. Addresses rural throughout and includes a map showing opioid-related deaths by county.
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Texas House Select Committee on Opioids and Substance Abuse
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Update: Rural/Urban Disparities in Pneumococcal Vaccine Service Delivery Among the Fee-for-Service Medicare Population, 2012-2015
Updated report on a study to identify disparities in vaccine provision to people ages 65 and over, and to assess the impact of pharmacies as alternate site providers in rural areas. Revised version specifically assesses the uptake of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, in response to the revised vaccination recommendations issued in 2014. Includes statistics on pneumococcal vaccine services provided by fee-for-service pharmacies and primary care providers, with breakdowns by rural and urban frequency, and state-level maps with rate of service delivery per eligible population, using 2014 and 2015 data.
Author(s): Joseph C. Vanghelof, Aric Schadler, Patricia R. Freeman, Jeffery C. Talbert
Date: 11/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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A Regional Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus Collaborative Care with Pharmacists in Indian Health Service Facilities
Reports on an Indian Health Service (IHS) review to identify and address gaps in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment of American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). The study took place at 11 separate healthcare facilities in mostly rural Oklahoma and Kansas. The HCV treatment included a strong pharmacy component with a collaborative practice agreement, and HCV telehealth services for specialist support.
Author(s): Rebecca Geiger, Jessica Steinert, Grant McElwee,et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 9, 1-5
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
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Patchwork of Contrasting Medication Cultures Across the USA
Examines differences in prescribing patterns by geographic area, including rural/urban comparisons. Compares opioid prescribing patterns with state drug monitoring programs, disease-associated drug use with relevant death rates, use of brand versus generic drugs, and the impact of insurance rates, poverty, and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Rachel D. Melamed, Andrey Rzhetsky
Citation: Nature Communications, 9, 4022
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
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Access in Brief: Rural and Urban Health Care
Compares healthcare access and use of services for children and adults with Medicaid to those with private insurance or no insurance for both rural and urban areas and for adults with disabilities. Includes access data by age group, income, and race/ethnicity and utilization data for office and emergency room visits. Addresses access to prescription drugs and eyeglasses as well as barriers to healthcare access.
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
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Northern Maine Medical Center – Fort Kent, Maine: Purchase of Retail Pharmacy Enhances Services to the Community
Profiles a hospital in rural Maine that purchased a community pharmacy to offer prevention and wellness services, reduce readmissions, and improve medication adherence.
Date: 10/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Opioid Prescribing Rates by Congressional Districts, United States, 2016
Details a study on opioid prescribing rates by U.S. congressional districts. Compares congressional district rates with state-level rates and highlights rates among White populations, in rural areas, specific regions, and by other variables.
Author(s): Lyndsey A. Rolheiser, Jack Cordes, S.V. Subramanian
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 108(9), 1214–1219
Date: 09/2018
Type: Document
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Any Use and Frequent Use of Opioids among Non-elderly Adults in 2015-2016, by Socioeconomic Characteristics
Details a study on the rate of opioid prescribing for adults under the age of 65 from 2015-2016. Presents data regarding poverty status, race, and whether prescription was filled in a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) or not, among other factors.
Author(s): G. Edward Miller, Asako S. Moriya
Date: 09/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Update: Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America, 2003-2018
Provides updated information on independently owned rural pharmacy closures from 2003 to 2018. Includes state-level data on rural pharmacy closures. Builds on past publications from RUPRI regarding rural pharmacy closures.
Author(s): Abiodun Salako, Fred Ullrich, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 07/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Drug Discount Program: Characteristics of Hospitals Participating and Not Participating in the 340B Program
Analyzes 2016 cost report data to describe and compare characteristics of 340B participating and non-participating hospitals, specifically examining three hospital types: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Sole Community Hospitals (SCHs), and general acute care hospitals. Discusses trends related to decreased charity care and an increase in Medicaid expansion on 340B hospital participation.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 07/2018
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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