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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Population health

Health Disparities: Closing the Gaps Using Faith-Based Institutions
Explores the role of religious institutions in rural communities, particularly related to promoting and enhancing health and wellness activities. Discusses barriers and concerns to utilizing faith-based institutions, provides program examples, and makes policy recommendations for improving current and future relationships. Also addresses the implications of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and concerns around protected health information in the faith-based setting.
Author(s): Dallas Martin, Joy Williams, Patricia Crawford, Nikki King
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Self-reported General Health, Physical Distress, Mental Distress, and Activity Limitation by US County, 1995-2012
Results of a study examining county-level prevalence of self-reported poor health. Explores geographic disparities in health outcomes and compares prevalence of poor health with behavioral and metabolic risk factors and chronic conditions. Includes county-level maps and charts showing the relationship between life expectancy and self-reported health measures.
Author(s): Laura Dwyer-Lindgren, Johan P. Mackenbach, Frank J. van Lenthe, Ali H. Mokdad
Citation: Population Health Metrics, 15(16)
Date: 04/2017
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Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs in Nonmetropolitan Counties — United States, 2016
Examines the availability of diabetes self-management education (DSME) programs in nonmetropolitan counties. Includes data on related characteristics for nonmetro counties with and without DSME programs, including diabetes incidence and prevalence, income, educational attainment, and other demographic information.
Author(s): Stephanie A. Rutledge, Svetlana Masalovich, Rachel J. Blacher, Magon M. Saunders
Citation: MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 66(10), 1-6
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The Role of Medicaid in Rural America
Uses data from the 2013-2015 American Community Survey to examine the role of Medicaid in rural areas, and discuss how potential expansions or cuts could affect rural healthcare. Highlights the importance of Medicaid for many rural residents who are often faced with limited access to insurance and providers, longer travel times, and greater health needs when compared to their urban counterparts. Includes several charts and graphs to illustrate important statistics and demographic comparisons.
Author(s): Julia Foutz, Samantha Artiga, Rachel Garfield
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Extending Work on Rural Health Disparities: A Commentary on Matthews and Colleagues' Report
Commentary on the CDC MMWR report, Health-Related Behaviors by Urban-Rural County Classification — United States, 2013. Discusses the value of the data provided in the report, which highlights health-related behaviors for six geographic levels. Offers recommendations to build on this work.
Author(s): Paul A. Gilbert, Helena H. Laroche, Robert B. Wallace, Edith A. Parker, Susan J. Curry
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 04/2017
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Rural Health Literacy: Understanding Skills and Demands is Key to Improvement
Provides an overview of the health literacy concerns in rural areas, with insights from researchers and other health literacy experts. Discusses both the skills and demands sides of health literacy and how rural healthcare providers can help their patients.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Harm Reduction – West Virginia Local Health Departments Lead Efforts to Mitigate Human and Financial Costs of Opioid Epidemic
Describes West Virginia public health departments' efforts to promote harm reduction programs, as a response to the opioid crisis and resulting overdose deaths. Gives examples of successful programs from across the state.
Date: 04/2017
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Association of Local Health Departments
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Preparing Family Physicians to Care for Underserved Populations: A Historical Perspective
Overview of family medicine residency models geared toward practice in rural and underserved urban areas. Also includes examination of behavioral science training and programs for the care of people with HIV and AIDS.
Author(s): Denise V. Rodgers, Andrea L. Wendling, George W. Saba, Megan Ruth Mahoney, Joedrecka S. Brown Speights
Citation: Family Medicine, 49(4), 304-310
Date: 04/2017
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The Association of Health Literacy and Blood Pressure Reduction in a Cohort of Patients with Hypertension: The Heart Healthy Lenoir Trial
Analyzes the impact of a multi-level quality improvement (QI) intervention, the Heart Healthy Lenoir (HHL) Study, with a focus on health literacy to improve systolic blood pressure (SBP) control in patients being treated in rural primary clinics of Eastern North Carolina. Discusses the components of the health literacy practice and patient level activities of the QI intervention. Offers a detailed table identifying the change in SBP by literacy level.
Author(s): Jacqueline R. Halladay, Katrina E. Donahue, Crystal W. Cené, et al.
Citation: Patient Education and Counseling, 100(3), 542-549
Date: 03/2017
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Identifying Community Perspectives for a Lung Cancer Screening Awareness Campaign in Appalachia Kentucky: The Terminate Lung Cancer (TLC) Study
Reports on the Terminate Lung Cancer (TLC) study, an ongoing program to encourage community awareness about the importance of lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in high need areas of Eastern Appalachia Kentucky. Offers recommendations for disseminating information about lung cancer screening for healthcare providers and patients seeking to learn more about LDCT screening.
Author(s): Roberto Cardarelli, Karen L. Roper, Kathryn Cardarelli, Frances J. Feltner, et al.
Citation: Journal of Cancer Education, 32(1), 125-134
Date: 03/2017
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