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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Populations

The Ecology of Economic Distress and Life Expectancy
Examines the relationship between life expectancy (LE) and county-level indicators such as race, rural status, and economic prosperity. Examines 2000-2019 data for LE, with rural, suburban, and metro comparisons across racial and economic groups, with economic distress calculated according to unemployment, housing, poverty, education, and other social indicators.
Author(s): William Brinson Weeks, Ji E. Chang, José A. Pagán, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Public Health, 69
Date: 07/2024
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Disability and Independence in Rural America: White Paper
Provides an overview of disability and independence in rural America. Describes disability prevalence in rural areas and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) programs for people with disabilities. Outlines key considerations for rural disability services, including access, Medicaid and Medicare coverage, workforce, and telehealth and technology. Highlights themes that emerged during the September 2023 National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Service (NACRHHS) meeting regarding areas for disability and independence policy improvement. Appendix A summarizes NACRHHS subcommittee site visits of two organizations serving rural Colorado residents.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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Parents of Young Children are Concerned about Access to Food
Presents results of a March 2023 survey on material hardship, including food access, among families with young children. Includes data on rural families' access to supermarkets and likelihood of being low income.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Stanford Center on Early Childhood
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Geographic Variation in Shortfalls of Dementia Specialists in the United States
Reports on distribution of dementia specialists to identify potential dementia care shortage areas for the older adult population. Discusses the impact on rural residents.
Author(s): Jodi L. Liu, Lawrence Baker, Annie Yu-An Chen, Jue (Jessie) Wang
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(7)
Date: 07/2024
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Suicide in US Preteens Aged 8 to 12 Years, 2001 to 2022
Reports on characteristics and trends in preteen suicides between 2001 and 2022. Discusses trends over time, method, and various demographics. Offers data breakdown by geography including metropolitan and nonmetropolitan residence.
Author(s): Donna A. Ruch, Lisa M. Horowitz, Jennifer L. Hughes, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(7)
Date: 07/2024
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Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences in Clinics Serving California Farmworker Communities: NACES Pilot Project Evaluation
Provides an overview of the No More Adverse Childhood Experiences (NACES) pilot project, which aims to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in a rural farmworker community in central California. Summarizes findings of an evaluation of the clinic-based intervention component of NACES, including clinic systems' changes in capacity for ACE screening and response, clinician and clinical staff understanding of how to address ACEs in farmworker communities, and patient process and experience outcomes related to ACE education and screening. Offers recommendations to improve ongoing ACE education, screening, and response work with clinics serving rural farmworkers throughout California.
Author(s): Ingrid Estrada-Darley, Gabriela Alvarado, Alejandro Roa Contreras, et al.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Pain in the Nation 2024: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths
Report focuses on alcohol, drug, and mortality statistics and trends, with a special feature on polysubstance use and drug overdose issues. Includes data on substance use and mortality, with U.S. maps showing overdose and suicide rates, breakdowns according to metro versus nonmetro location, and state-by-state statistical trends. Provides policy recommendations to address substance use and offers examples from rural areas.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Brandon Reavis
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Newly Reported Chronic Hepatitis C Among Adults — Alaska, 2016-2023
Reports on newly reported confirmed chronic hepatitis C diagnoses data among Alaskan adults between 2016 and 2023. Notes diagnosis rate disparities for American Indian and Alaska Natives and rural residents, among others. Discusses the potential impact of increased screening on the data. Offers recommendations related to screening, treatment, reporting, and more.
Author(s): Heather M. Scobie, Ian Blake, Eyasu Teshale, et al.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Division of Public Health
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Tribal Food Security: Opportunities Exist to Address Challenges in Federal Nutrition Programs
Explores issues related to tribal food security and whether federal nutrition programs meet tribal communities' needs. Describes American Indian/Alaska Native food insecurity rates and the food security challenges of tribal communities. Examines the extent to which select federal nutrition programs address tribal communities' needs and tribes' roles in administering these programs. Offers recommendations to Congress and the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the administration of the program and additional flexibilities to support tribes and states.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Community-Based Participatory Obesity Prevention Interventions in Rural Communities: A Scoping Review
Reviews 12 rural childhood obesity prevention studies which included a community-engaged research component. Analyzes study characteristics including type of intervention used, level of community engagement, outcome measurement, and more. Discusses the benefits of improved community engagement in obesity interventions for rural, school-aged children.
Author(s): Saagar Dhanjani, Haley Allen, Beatriz Varman, et al.
Citation: Nutrients, 16(14), 2201
Date: 07/2024
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