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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Hunger Pains: How Food Insecurity Affects Oral Health
Report discusses the ways food insecurity affects oral health outcomes. Highlights populations suffering from food insecurity and compares rural and urban populations. Details the oral health disparities that correlate with food insecurity.
Author(s): Paige Martin, Morgan Santoro, Lisa J. Heaton, et al.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Factors Associated with Higher Hemoglobin A1c and Type 2 Diabetes-related Costs: Secondary Data Analysis of Adults 18 to 64 in Texas with Commercial Insurance
Examines factors associated with hemoglobin A1c values and diabetes-related costs in Texas residents with type 2 diabetes. Analyzes 2018-2019 data from 34,992 individuals with type 2 diabetes according to age, sex, comorbidities, health indicators, and metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Marcia G. Ory, Gang Han, Sagar N. Jani, et al.
Citation: PLoS One, 18(9)
Date: 09/2023
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Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program in Rural America: Policy Brief and Recommendations to the Secretary
Provides an overview of issues related to the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV) in rural areas. Discusses the history of home visiting and the MIECHV program, Tribal MIECHV, program structure, eligible models, and promising approaches. Highlights three evidence-based home visiting models in Oregon that receive MIECHV funding. Offers policy recommendations related to improving MIECHV for rural families.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services
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MedPAC Response to a Congressional Request for Information on Improving Access to Health Care in Rural and Underserved Areas
Letter to the House Committee on Ways and Means responding to a request for information on improving access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas. Covers MedPAC recommendations for policies to target payments to better support rural beneficiaries' access to care, including the Rural Emergency Hospital program and a proposed Medicare Safety-Net Index; changes to the hospital wage index to address geographic inequities; and the alignment of payment rates across ambulatory settings for certain services.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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CDC's State of Vaccine Confidence Insights Report: Vaccination in Rural America Special Report
Examines vaccine confidence and uptake among rural populations in the United States between 2017-2023, with a focus on COVID-19 vaccination. Covers differences in vaccine uptake among rural, suburban, and rural populations. Discusses concerns about vaccination and identifies strategies for successful outreach to rural areas.
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Adult Obesity in Rural America: An Examination of the Relationships Between Obesity Prevalence, Sociodemographic Factors, Access to Care, and Differences Between Rural and Urban Counties
Provides an overview of obesity prevalence in rural versus urban counties. Analyzes factors related to obesity such as education, income, physical inactivity, healthcare workforce, and food, internet, and healthcare access. Includes case studies and data related to obesity prevalence in Texas and Arkansas.
Additional links: Appendix, Executive Summary
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: NORC at the University of Chicago
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Characteristics of 30-Day All-cause Hospital Readmissions, 2016–2020
Examines trends in 30-day all-cause hospital readmissions among patients 1 year old and older in the United States between 2016 and 2020. Explores changes in readmission rates from the pre-pandemic period (2016-2019) to 2020. Presents data by primary payer and patient characteristics.
Author(s): H. Joanna Jiang, Molly Hensche
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Influenza, Tdap, and COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage and Hesitancy Among Pregnant Women — United States, April 2023
Examines influenza, Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis), and COVID-19 vaccination coverage among women pregnant during the 2022-23 influenza season. Includes data on vaccination coverage for those living in rural and nonrural areas.
Author(s): Hilda Razzaghi, Katherine E. Kahn, Kayla Calhoun, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 72(39), 1065-1071
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Demographic Characteristics and Work Experiences of Physician Scientists in the U.S.: Analysis of the 2022 National Sample Survey of Physicians (NSSP)
Compares demographics and work experience of physician scientists versus peers not engaged in research. Highlights similarities that physician scientists share with the broader physician workforce and ways in which their experiences diverge. Features demographics and statistics including population density in community of origin, with breakdowns by urban, suburban, or rural area.
Author(s): Alyssa Browne
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Association of American Medical Colleges
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Assessing the Impact of Medicaid Telehealth Policy Change on Equitable Access to Telehealth Services in North Carolina
Describes the evolution of North Carolina's Medicaid telehealth coverage and reimbursement policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses the impact of these policies on access to care. Compares data on telehealth claims by volume and as a percentage of total claims by race and rural-urban residence between March 2020 and December 2022.
Author(s): Shannon Dowler, Sam Thompson, Michelle Savuto, Jacqueline Marks-Smith, Jared Augenstein
Date: 09/2023
Sponsoring organization: Milbank Memorial Fund
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