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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Population health

Oversight: The Opioid Crisis in Tribal Communities
Recording of a U.S. House Natural Resources Committee, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, hearing focused on the opioid crisis in tribal communities. Includes testimonies from representatives of the Cherokee Nation, the National Council of Urban Indian Health, the Border Patrol Council, and the Riverside-San Bernardino Indian Health.
Additional links: Art Del Cueto Testimony, Chuck Hoskin, Jr. Testimony, Maureen Rosette Testimony, Wayne Cortez Testimony, YouTube Recording
Date: 04/2022
Sponsoring organization: U.S. House of Representatives
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Disparity of Ovarian Cancer Survival Between Urban and Rural Settings
Explores disparities in survival rates of 111,627 epithelial ovarian cancer patients in rural, urban, and metropolitan areas of the United States, based on data from the 2004-2016 National Cancer Database (NCDB). Includes demographic information of patients such as age, race, distance to nearest hospital, and more, as well as tables showing survival rates based on geographic locations.
Author(s): Keely Krolikowski Ulmer, Breanna Greteman, Nicholas Cardillo, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, 32(4), 540-546
Date: 04/2022
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Reimagining Rural: Shifting Paradigms About Health and Well-Being in the Rural United States
Discusses ways to address health needs in rural areas with a focus on shifting away from the deficit narrative of rural places. Explores definitions of rural, the intersectionality of rural citizens, and how to conduct participatory community research to promote partnerships and health access in rural communities.
Author(s): R.A. Afifi, E.A. Parker, G. Dino, D.M. Hall, B. Ulin
Citation: Annual Review of Public Health, 43, 135-154
Date: 04/2022
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Overcoming Disparities in Surgical Care among Native Americans
Discusses the disparity in access to oncologic surgical care for Native Americans. Details a pathway program at the Oregon Health & Science University aimed as increasing matriculation rates among Native Americans into medicals school.
Author(s): Thomas L. Sutton, Brett C. Sheppard
Citation: Bulletin of The American College of Surgeons
Date: 04/2022
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Associations Between Obesity, Physical Inactivity, Healthcare Capacity, and the Built Environment: Geographic Information System Analysis
Explores the impacts healthcare capacity and the built environment have on obesity and physical inactivity. Identifies variations in rural versus urban areas relating to access to healthcare facilities and opportunities to exercise, based on demographic data obtained from a variety of secondary sources and then mapped to geographic locations with GIS. Includes county-level maps representing the study findings in South Carolina.
Author(s): Duaa Aljabri
Citation: Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 15, 689-704
Date: 04/2022
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Environmental Data and Methods from the Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict Obesity Treatment (Adopt) Core Measures Environmental Working Group
Describes available datasets on walkability, neighborhood deprivation, urbanicity, personal safety, and food environment in relationship to weight loss interventions. Utilizes both rural-urban commuting areas (RUCA) codes and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) urban/rural locale definitions to disaggregate the data.
Additional links: Data Files
Author(s): Beth A. Slotman, David G. Stinchcomb, Tiffany M. Powell-Wiley, et al.
Citation: Data in Brief, 41
Date: 04/2022
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USDA Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years 2022-2026
Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) strategic plan for fiscal years 2022-2026, setting strategic goals related to environmental health, access to services, conservation, economic development, housing, infrastructure, and more. Discusses investment and programs for rural and tribal communities throughout.
Date: 03/2022
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture
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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthy Lifestyles in Rural Families
Evaluates the effects of the early COVID-19 pandemic on family health behaviors, utilizing thematic analysis of 30 interviews conducted from June 2020 through September 2020 with rural caregivers who were participants in a healthy lifestyles intervention. Discusses themes related to mental health, physical activity, time use, approaches to parenting and family routines, and food choice.
Author(s): Keisha M. England, Bethany Forseth, Maheen Bangash, et al.
Citation: Journal of Healthy Eating and Active Living, 2(1), 23-31
Date: 03/2022
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Trends in Health Disparities of Rural Latinos Pre- and Post-Accountable Care Organization Implementation
Compares diabetes-related hospitalizations among older rural Latino Rural Health Clinic (RHC) patients to those of their White counterparts between 2008 and 2015. Explores whether RHC participation in an Accountable Care Organization reduced diabetes-related hospitalization rates for Latino patients. Presents findings from an analysis of data on 2,683 RHCs nationwide from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and a subset of 516 RHCs in California, Florida, and Texas.
Author(s): Judith Ortiz, Boondaniwon D. Phrathep, Richard Hofler, Chad W. Thomas
Citation: Research in the Sociology of Health Care, 39, 173–187
Date: 03/2022
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Black/White Disparities in Obesity Widen with Increasing Rurality: Evidence from a National Survey
Analyzes Black/White disparities in obesity, diabetes, and lack of physical activity, with breakdowns by county-level rurality quintile. Utilizes data from the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Author(s): Steven A. Cohen, Caitlin C. Nash, Erin N. Byrne, Lauren E. Mitchell, Mary L. Greaney
Citation: Health Equity, 6(1), 178-188
Date: 03/2022
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