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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

The Essential Role of Family Physicians in Providing Cesarean Sections in Rural Communities
Policy brief describing percentages of family physicians (FPs) providing obstetric services and cesarean deliveries as the primary surgeon, using data from the 2017 and 2018 American Board of Family Medicine's Family Medicine Certification Examination registration questionnaire for FPs seeking to continue their certification. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, micropolitan, large rural, and small rural locations.
Author(s): Sebastian T. Tong, Aimee R. Eden, Zachary J. Morgan, Andrew W. Bazemore, Lars E. Peterson
Citation: Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 34(1), 10-11
Date: 01/2021
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Exploring the Impact of ACA on Rural-Urban Disparity in Oral Health Services Among US Noninstitutionalized Adults
Examines the effect the ACA had on oral healthcare utilization in rural areas. Compares use of oral health services by adults from 2011-2016 in rural and urban communities.
Author(s): Wei-Chen Lee, Chih-Ying Li, Hani Serag, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 37(1), 103-113
Date: 01/2021
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Use of Certified Health IT and Methods to Enable Interoperability by U.S. Non-Federal Acute Care Hospitals, 2019
Data brief examining hospital interoperability, including finding, sending, receiving, and integrating electronic health information (EHI) outside their health system, from 2017-2019. Examines rates of interoperability by hospital size, type, method of interoperability, and rural and suburban-urban status. Discusses barriers to EHI interoperability and steps forward.
Author(s): Christian Johnson, Yuriy Pylypchuk
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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Telemedicine for Tobacco Cessation and Prevention to Combat COVID-19 Morbidity and Mortality in Rural Areas
Discusses the use of telehealth to initiate tobacco cessation programs in rural areas as a means of limiting comorbidity and mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights the rates of tobacco use in rural areas by type and compares rates to urban areas. Explores several examples of programs using telemedicine to implement successful models of tobacco cessation treatment in the U.S. and in Hong Kong.
Author(s): Ashley L. Merianos, Bradley Fevrier, E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 8, 598905
Date: 01/2021
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Federal Universal Service Fund and Other Selected Federal Broadband Programs: A Primer
Provides an overview of federal programs designed to accelerate broadband deployment and adoption in rural and tribal areas and among eligible households.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Poll Finds Rural Residents More Hesitant to Get Vaccinated
Results of a poll conducted from November 30 - Dec 8, 2020, in which approximately 1,700 respondents were asked if they would get a COVID-19 vaccination if it were determined to be safe, effective, and available at no cost. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, suburban, or rural location.
Author(s): Tim Marema
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 3(1), 61-65
Date: 01/2021
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Cancer-Related Hospitalizations for Adults, 2017
Examines adult nonmaternal hospital stays involving cancer. Includes hospitalization rates principally for cancer and principally for other causes by location of patient residence for large central metropolitan areas; large fringe metro areas; medium or small metro; and micropolitan or noncore (rural) areas.
Author(s): Marc Roemer
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing: Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Opportunities
Discusses housing supply and affordability challenges and offers recommendations for federal, state, local, and tribal governments to reduce regulatory barriers and address these challenges. Describes rural/urban differences in housing market challenges. Covers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on housing in the U.S.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Physician Density by Specialty Type in Urban and Rural Counties in the US, 2010 to 2017
Examines trends in physician density in rural and urban counties among primary care physicians, medical specialists, surgical specialists, or other specialists. Features statistics with breakdowns by large metropolitan, medium or small metropolitan, or rural counties.
Author(s): Sara R. Machado, Sahan Jayawardana, Elias Mossialos, Muthiah Vaduganathan
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 4(1)
Date: 01/2021
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Pennsylvania Municipal Officials' Views on COVID-19 Vaccine and Pennsylvania's Response to the Pandemic
Results of an email survey of 1,009 elected officials, to gather information about their attitudes toward vaccines and the Pennsylvania state government's response to COVID-19. Features statistics on the percentages of officials likely to get vaccinated, who felt the state's response had been effective, and who had recently attended municipal meetings in virtual, in-person, or hybrid formats, with breakdowns by rural or urban location.
Date: 01/2021
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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