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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Evaluation of Post-Discharge Engagement for Emergency Department Patients with Opioid Use History Who Received Telehealth Recovery Coaching Services
Examines successful interventions for patients in emergency departments (EDs) who receive peer recovery coach (PRC) services via telehealth that support patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Analyzes 13 EDs in Indiana who implemented telehealth PRC services starting in 2018, including 7 rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Includes rate of successful follow-ups proceeding PRC services broken down by patient age, sex, race, drug use method, referral types, and metro, small, or rural living location.
Author(s): Dennis P. Watson, Peter Phalen, Spencer Medcalf, Sarah Messmer, Alan McGuire
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 18(9)
Date: 02/2023
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Geography, Rurality, and Community Distress: Deaths Due to Suicide, Alcohol-Use, and Drug-Use among Colorado Veterans
Explores the connection between distressed communities and mortality disparities in the Colorado veteran population. Utilizes 2009-2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (WONDER) to examine suicide, alcohol, and drug related mortalities, with demographic data broken down by sex, age, marital status, distressed community index (DCI), and frontier, rural, or urban location. Includes county-level maps showing DCI and rurality.
Author(s): Talia L. Spark, Colleen E. Reid, Rachel Sayko Adams, et al.
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 10, 8
Date: 02/2023
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VA Mental Health: Additional Action Needed to Assess Rural Veterans' Access to Intensive Care
Report examines the rate at which the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Intensive Mental Health Care programs were being utilized in rural areas. Highlights the difference in the utilization rate of the inpatient, residential, and outpatient mental health programs for both rural and urban veterans. Makes suggestions for how the VHA can improve these rates going forward.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Tooth Loss and Dental Visits by Indigenous American Indian/Alaska Native Adults in the USA
Presents a study comparing rates of dental visits and missing teeth among rural and urban American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Breaks down data by demographic factors, such as age, income, and health insurance, among other factors.
Author(s): R. Constance Wiener
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23, 7679
Date: 02/2023
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The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2019 (Revised)
Examines costs resulting from motor vehicle crashes, including economic impact and premature death or lost quality-of-life for those who survive crashes with debilitating injuries. Features statistics on traffic fatalities from 1998-2019, portions of fatalities and injuries occurring in rural areas by injury severity for select states, and economic cost summary with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Lawrence Blincoe, Ted R. Miller, Jing-Shiarn Wang, et al.
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Disparities in Melanoma Incidence and Mortality in Rural Versus Urban Michigan
Examines rural versus urban disparities in disease stage and disease-specific mortality of melanoma patients in Michigan. Analyzes 2014-2018 data from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to observe county-level melanoma rates. Includes demographic breakdowns by age, sex, and residence, as well as discussions about potential causes of rural disparities.
Author(s): Richard A. Shellenberger, Timothy M. Johnson, Fatima Fayyaz, et al.
Citation: Cancer Reports, 6(2), e1713
Date: 02/2023
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Geographic Disparities in the Availability of Mental Health Services in U.S. Public Schools
Analyzes geographic factors associated with the availability of mental health services in public schools, utilizing 2017-2018 School Survey on Crime and Safety data. Includes data on likelihood of providing mental health assessments or mental health treatment, and examines prevalence of factors limiting service availability at rural, urban, and suburban schools.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Demetrius A. Abshire, Jessica L. Mackelprang, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 64(1), 1-8
Date: 01/2023
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Designing Home-Based Physical Activity Programs for Rural Cancer Survivors: A Survey of Technology Access and Preferences
Results of a survey of 298 adults with cancer on demographics, cancer characteristics, technology use and access, current physical activity, and preferred home-based physical activity program characteristics. Includes rural versus nonrural comparisons.
Author(s): Elizabeth A. Salerno, Rohana Gao, Jason Fanning, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Oncology, 13, 1061641
Date: 01/2023
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Analysis of Substance Use and Suicidal Ideation in Midwestern Frontier and Non-Frontier Locations
Evaluated emergency department data in South Dakota from 2017 to 2018 to identify ED usage by frontier and non-frontier residents for substance use disorder and suicidal ideation. Discusses usage by substance and the connection between substance use and suicidal ideation.
Author(s): Alexandra Dolezal, Marie Severson, Rusul Ali, Phil Dohn, Lisa McFadden
Citation: South Dakota Medicine, 76(1), 24-27
Date: 01/2023
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A Study Pursuant to (Pennsylvania) House Resolution 68: Rural Dental Health
Results of a study to identify the availability, costs, and barriers to receiving dental services in rural Pennsylvania. Offers recommendations to expand oral healthcare services in rural areas. Features county-level maps showing distribution of Pennsylvania dentists with breakdowns by rural and nonrural areas, and population-to-dentist ratios.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: Legislative Budget and Finance Committee of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
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