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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Population health

Rural Development: Actions Needed to Improve Assistance to Southwest Border Communities Known as Colonias
Provides an overview of colonias, predominately rural, Hispanic communities near the U.S.-Mexico border. Examines conditions in colonias and the challenges they face in obtaining and using federal assistance. Presents results of an analysis of American Community Survey data, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) program documentation and funding data for fiscal years 2020–2023, and interviews with stakeholders. Offers recommendations for Congress and the USDA to preserve eligibility to funding set aside for colonias and identify applications for Single Family Housing assistance for projects in colonias.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Notes from the Field: Support for Wastewater Monitoring and Influence on Protective Behavioral Intentions Among Adults — United States, July 2024
Reports findings from a survey on public support for wastewater monitoring to identify infectious diseases and intentions for related protective health behaviors. Includes data by community type for rural, suburban, and urban areas.
Author(s): Rieza H. Soelaeman, Danielle Kleven, Jena Losch, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 73(37), 825-827
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Suicide Prevention in Wisconsin's Farming Communities
Podcast episode discussing the Farmer Angel Network, a support group devoted to suicide prevention in Wisconsin's farming communities. Describes the origins of the group, the impacts of suicide in farming towns, how local hospitals contribute to the initiative, and the resources available to support families and loved ones.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Innovations in Rural Obstetrics to Maintain Access to Care
Discusses closures of rural hospitals and labor and delivery services and the impact on maternity care access. Provides examples of 6 approaches to sustain obstetric care: partnerships, community-centered care, quality initiatives, culturally competent care, rural workforce development, and maternity care as an equity issue.
Author(s): Mary Louise Gilburg, Morgan McDonald, Erin E. Sullivan
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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Rural-Urban Residence and Life Expectancies With and Without Pain
Analyzes disparities in life expectancy and pain-free years of life remaining among rural, suburban, and urban upper-middle aged and older adults with and without chronic pain. Utilizes U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data for 18,160 individuals from 2000-2018. Includes data breakdowns by region, age group, sex, and severity of pain.
Author(s): Feinuo Sun, Zachary Zimmer, Nicolas Brouard
Citation: Health & Place, 89, 103305
Date: 09/2024
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Challenges and Opportunities in Rural Health Care: Chelsea Lensing
A video recording of a podcast episode that discusses mental healthcare access in rural Iowa. Features Chelsea Lensing, economics professor at Coe College in Iowa, who studies disparities in healthcare access in rural versus urban populations. Transcript available below video.
Author(s): Paul Yeager, Chelsea Lensing
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Iowa PBS
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Evaluation of an Enhanced Modified Kalman Filter Approach for Estimating Health Outcomes in Small Subpopulations: Data Evaluation and Methods Research
Assesses the performance of the enhanced modified Kalman filter (eMKF) as a methodology to estimate health outcomes for small subpopulations.
Author(s): Lauren M. Rossen, Makram Talih, Priyam Patel, Morgan Earp, Jennifer D. Parker
Citation: Vital and Health Statistics, 2(208)
Date: 09/2024
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The COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Declines in Cancer Incidence by Race/Ethnicity and Census-Tract Level SES, Rurality, and Persistent Poverty Status
Examines the impact of COVID-19 on cancer screening, treatment, incidence, and disparities among different population groups. Utilizes U.S. National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data to compare 2020 and 2015-2019 incidence rates at 13 different cancer sites. Analyzes various cancer types across sociodemographic variables, including race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, persistent poverty (PP), and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Benmei Liu, Mandi Yu, Jeffrey Byrne, Katheen A. Cronin, Eric J. Feuer
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 13(17)
Date: 09/2024
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Lessons for Future Pandemics: Temporal Evolution and Rural-Urban Variations in the Impacts of the COVID-19 on Opioid Use Treatment
Presents a study highlighting the lessons learned from opioid use treatment programs operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Explores the impact of the pandemic on treatment services. Discusses the use of telehealth for both counseling and medication prescribing, as well as the challenges faced by patients trying to obtain treatment during the pandemic.
Author(s): Zhongyang He, Jonathan M. Heess, Travis Young, Zhen Lei
Citation: PLoS ONE, 19(9), e0310386
Date: 09/2024
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AHRQ Report to Congress: An Assessment of Sepsis in the United States and its Burden on Hospital Care
Offers an assessment of hospital care for sepsis between 2016 and 2021 including trends in hospital utilization, morbidity, in-hospital mortality, and disparities related to various patient demographics and geographic factors. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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