This website is being reviewed for updates. Some information is offline. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Public health

Trends in Number and Distribution of COVID-19 Hotspot Counties — United States, March 8–July 15, 2020
Examines trends in the location of COVID-19 hotspot counties, counties that had increasing case numbers and incidence. Includes maps identifying hotspot counties for specific time periods. Provides data on COVID-19 hotspot alerts for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties.
Author(s): Alexandra M. Oster, Gloria J. Kang, Amy E. Cha, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(33), 1127-1132
Date: 08/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Medicare's Mental Health Coverage: How COVID-19 Highlights Gaps and Opportunities for Improvement
Report explores Medicare beneficiaries' access to mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Breaks down data by beneficiary type, severity of illness, and rural versus urban location, among other measures. Highlights barriers to care and makes recommendations for the future.
Author(s): Beth McGinty
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
view details
Pharmacist-Led Chronic Care Management for Medically Underserved Rural Populations in Florida During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Describes how ambulatory care pharmacists and student pharmacists are implementing telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide chronic care management to underserved, rural communities in Florida. Discusses implications for public health.
Author(s): Madison Como, Chenita White Carter, Margareth Larose-Pierre, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17:200265
Date: 07/2020
view details
Contact Tracing for Native Americans in Rural Arizona
Details the efforts to do COVID-19 contact tracing in Native American communities in rural Arizona. Discusses the role of a Critical Access Hospital in providing public health support in rural communities during the pandemic.
Author(s): Ryan M. Close, Myles J. Stone
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 383, e15
Date: 07/2020
view details
The Role of Public Health in COVID-19 Emergency Response Efforts From a Rural Health Perspective
Examines the difficulties rural communities face in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the southeastern region of the U.S. Discusses the COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index, a tool that analyzes epidemiological factors, socioeconomic status, and other indicators to determine which communities are at an increased risk of COVID-19.
Author(s): Sandra Melvin, Corey Wiggins, Nakeitra Burse, Erica Thompson, Mauda Monger
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 07/2020
view details
Rural Matters - Coronavirus and the Navajo Nation
Presents a first-hand account of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Navajo Nation. Discusses the social and environmental factors that contribute to the spread of the virus.
Author(s): Heather Kovich
Citation: New England Journal of Medicine, 383, 105-107
Date: 07/2020
view details
Health Care Access for Infants and Toddlers in Rural Areas
Research brief describing how rural children are more likely to face a unique combination of challenges that negatively impact their health and development, such as fewer healthcare providers, barriers to accessing care, and higher rates of poverty. Includes rural/urban comparisons for each state, with information on the percentage of infants and toddlers lacking health insurance, receiving recommended vaccinations, attending a preventive medical appointment, and more.
Author(s): Jessie Laurore, Gayane Baziyants, Sarah Daily
Date: 07/2020
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
view details
Geographic Variation in the Structure of Kentucky's Population Health Systems: An Urban, Rural, and Appalachian Comparison
Examines differences in key characteristics of population health systems in Kentucky, using data from a 2018 statewide survey of community networks. Features statistics on implementation of population health activities, with breakdowns by urban, rural non-Appalachian, and rural Appalachian public health jurisdictions.
Author(s): Rachel Hogg-Graham, Angela Carman, Glen P. Mays, Pierre Martin Dominique Zephyr
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 2(3), 14-25
Date: 07/2020
view details
The Growing Divide in the Composition of Public Health Delivery Systems in US Rural and Urban Communities, 2014–2018
Analyzes data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Public Health Systems to examine rural-urban differences in the scope of public health delivery system activities and organizational networks from 2014-2018. Provides geographic breakdowns on various characteristics, including poverty, unemployment, trends for public health activities, and more.
Author(s): Kelsey M. Owsley, Mika K. Hamer, Glen P. Mays
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 110(Suppl 2), S204-S210
Date: 07/2020
view details
Engaging With Communities - Lessons (Re)Learned From COVID-19
Discusses health status in the U.S. and offers recommendations for community engagement and partnerships in public health to achieve and maintain improved health outcomes. Offers examples of community, local health department, and other partner's efforts to respond to COVID-19, including activities implemented in tribal and rural settings.
Author(s): Lloyd Michener, Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, Philip Alberti, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 07/2020
view details