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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Public health

Diné (Navajo) Healer Perspectives on Commercial Tobacco Use in Ceremonial Settings: An Oral Story Project to Promote Smoke-free Life
Presents a study discussing the role of American Indian (AI) healers in defining the ceremonial uses of tobacco in opposition to the regular use of commercial tobacco products in AI communities. Aims to shape culturally competent tobacco-free policies.
Author(s): Jamie Wilson, Samantha Sabo, Carmenlita Chief, et al.
Citation: American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research, 26(1), 63-78
Date: 2019
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Best Practice Guide for Engagement with SORH and CDC-funded State Programs
Highlights examples from North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Louisiana of successful engagement between the State Office of Rural Health (SORH) and state initiatives funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Identifies top opportunities for collaboration.
Date: 2019
Sponsoring organization: National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health
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Survey Development: Community Involvement in the Design and Implementation Process
Highlights how the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council Epidemiology Center (RMTEC) worked with one tribal community to develop a health priorities survey. Describes the importance of community involvement in public health activities and planning for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. Includes practice and policy implications.
Author(s): Allyson Kelley, Christopher Piccione, Aryn Fisher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 25(suppl 5), S77-S83
Date: 2019
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Identifying Priority and "Bright-Spot" Counties for Diabetes Preventive Care in Appalachia: An Exploratory Analysis
Details a study of type 2 diabetes prevalence and mortality in rural Appalachian counties and compares rates with non-Appalachian counties.
Author(s): Peter J. Mallow, Michael Topmiller, Jennifer Rankin, Jene Grandmont, David Grolling
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 1(1), 27-33
Date: 2019
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The Social Determinants of Health and the Decline in U.S. Life Expectancy: Implications for Appalachia
Study explores life expectancy in the U.S. and compares these trends to those in Appalachia. Looks at social determinants of health such as substance use, injuries, and suicide, among others, as possible contributing factors.
Author(s): Steven H. Woolf, Heidi Schoomaker, Latoya Hill, Christine M. Orndahl
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 1(1), 6-14
Date: 2019
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Mandatory Reporting of Fatal and Nonfatal Opioid Overdoses in a Rural Public Health Department
Describes a mandatory reporting initiative in rural Clallam County, Washington of fatal and nonfatal opioid overdoses. Offers data on reported cases from 2016-2017 including age, sex, participation in syringe exchanges, overdose characteristics, and public health services provided per case.
Author(s): Christopher J. Frank, Siri E. Kushner, David A. Doran, Jeanette Stehr-Green
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 108(12), 1646-1648
Date: 12/2018
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Red Flags and Warning Signs Ignored: Opioid Distribution and Enforcement Concerns in West Virginia
Report highlights a U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce investigation into the opioid crisis in West Virginia. Examines the policies of the various drug distribution companies who shipped opioids into the state, as well as the effectiveness of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) oversight.
Date: 12/2018
Sponsoring organization: House Committee on Energy and Commerce
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Talking about Hepatitis C: FAQs from Young Adults who Inject Drugs
Highlights some common questions posed by rural young adults at high risk of hepatitis C (HCV) infection due to injectable drug use. Breaks down demographic data by sex and education among other measures.
Author(s): Lauren L. Knight, Katherine Wagner, Yuridia Leyva, et al.
Citation: Health Promotion Practice, 19(6), 815-822
Date: 11/2018
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Variations in Support for Secondhand Smoke Restrictions Across Diverse Rural Regions of the United States
Surveys the support of secondhand smoke restrictions among rural and urban people across all of the HHS regions. Explores the attitudes of people pertaining to smoking regulations in various locations, such as in homes, bars, and playgrounds, among others.
Author(s): Frances A. Stillman, Erin Tanenbaum, Mary Ellen Wewers, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 116, 157-165
Date: 11/2018
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