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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Public health

Ready or Not 2024: Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism
Report explores the readiness of state public health systems to respond to emergencies, such as diseases, disasters, and bioterrorism. Focuses on measures such as hospital safety scores, vaccination rates, and water system maintenance, among others. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Matt McKillop, Rhea K. Farberman, Dara Alpert Lieberman
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Firearm Access and Gun Violence Exposure Among American Indian or Alaska Native and Black Adults
Results of a survey of 3,542 American Indian or Alaska Native and Black adults conducted in April and May 2023, to examine distributions of firearm access, firearm storage, firearm carrying, and gun violence exposure. Features statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Michael D. Anestis, Jayna Moceri-Brooks, Devon Ziminski, R. Thurman Barnes, Daniel Semenza
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(3), e240073
Date: 03/2024
Type: Document
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The Suicide Epidemic in Rural Minnesota: How We Got Here and How We Move Forward
Provides information on the yearly increase of suicides and deaths of despair in Minnesota, with data broken down by sex, region, and rurality. Discusses factors that impact suicide rates in rural areas, with a focus on rural and indigenous cultures, farming, stigma, firearm access, and more.
Author(s): Marnie Werner, Tracie Rutherford Self
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Rural Behavioral Health, Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Human Biomonitoring Without In-Person Interaction: Public Health Engagements During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Future Implications
Examines engagement approaches of biomonitoring and discusses the feasibility of utilizing non-contact methods for public health research. Analyzes distance-based approaches for research such as recruitment mailers, phone conversations, internet surveys, and self-collected and shipped samples. Includes reflections on non-contact methods to engage rural populations in research during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the future.
Author(s): Alyssa J. Mattson, Jiali Yu, Elizabeth M. Miller, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Research Methodology, 24, 53
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
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Through a Rural Lens: Applying the Safe System Approach
Examines roadway fatalities in rural areas and how the Safe System Approach may reduce transportation-related deaths. Provides an overview of the Safe System Approach and discusses how it can be tailored to rural areas.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Rural Road Safety
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Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Coverage in Children Ages 9–17 Years: United States, 2022
Offers parent-reported data on the percentage of children 9-17 years of age who received at least one dose of the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine. Includes date for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Maria A. Villarroel, Adena M. Galinsky, Peng-Jun Lu, Cassandra Pingali
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Seat Belt Use in 2023 - Overall Results
Examines rates of seat belt use and occupant fatalities from 2010-2023, and compares seat belt use rates from 2022 and 2023 by major characteristics. Features statistics with breakdowns including rural or urban location.
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Association of Social Vulnerability Index and Masking Adherence among Children Enrolled in COVID-19 Community Research Partnership Study
Examines the relationship between social vulnerability and masking during the COVID-19 pandemic among children aged 2 to 17 years old and living in the Southeast. Provides data on masking adherence according to age, race/ethnicity, sex, social vulnerability, and rural, suburban, or urban location.
Author(s): Keerti L. Dantuluri, Asare Buahin, Diane Uschner, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 24, 410
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
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Firearm Exposure and Safety Training of Rural Iowa Youth
Examines the firearm usage and training experiences of rural youth in Iowa aged 13-18. Analyzes survey data from 2019 Iowa FFA Leadership Conference attendees according to age; sex; residence of farm, country/not farm, or town; race; frequency of shooting a firearm, age when first shooting a firearm, and type of firearm used; hunting experience; and firearm safety education.
Author(s): Jamie L. Koopman, Cole C. Wymore, Nicholas R. Stange, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 02/2024
Type: Document
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Snapshot of Rural Health in Colorado, 2024
Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, mental health, oral health, emergency medical services (EMS) and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state.
Date: 01/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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