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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences

Second Report to Congress: Social Risk Factors and Performance in Medicare's Value-Based Purchasing Programs
Analyzes the effect of individuals' social risk factors on quality measures, resource utilization, and other Medicare program measures using Medicare and non-Medicare data sources. Describes how Medicare value-based purchasing (VBP) programs impact providers who serve socially at-risk beneficiaries. Categorizes rurality as a social risk factor. Explores emerging trends among providers addressing social risk factors through cooperation with social services and community-based organizations. Offers policy recommendations for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to account for social risk factors in VBP programs and achieve better outcomes for those with social risk factors. Second of two reports required by the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014. See the first report.
Additional links: Executive Summary
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Washington State's 2019 Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner Workforce
Reports on the existing advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP) workforce supply in the state of Washington. Highlights the characteristics, distribution, qualifications, and practice settings of ARNPs using data collected from a 2019 Nursys e-Notify survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and from state license renewals.
Additional links: Appendix – Unweighted Response Counts and Percentages for Each Survey Question
Author(s): Benjamin A. Stubbs, Susan M. Skillman
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Inpatient Stays and Emergency Department Visits Involving Traumatic Brain Injury, 2017
Examines initial and subsequent traumatic brain injury (TBI) related inpatient stays and treat-and-release emergency department (ED) visits. Includes data by location of patient residence for metropolitan, rural adjacent to metro, and rural remote areas.
Author(s): Lawrence D. Reid, Kathryn R. Fingar
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Genotyping and Subtyping Cryptosporidium To Identify Risk Factors and Transmission Patterns — Nebraska, 2015–2017
Examines Cryptosporidium in Nebraska, looking at the distribution of cases of cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium parvum and Cryptosporidium hominis in rural and urban settings. Reports on rural cases due to animal exposures and urban cases in child care facilities.
Author(s): Brianna K. Loeck, Caitlin Pedati, Peter C. Iwen, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(12), 335-338
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Patterns and Characteristics of Methamphetamine Use Among Adults — United States, 2015–2018
Reports on methamphetamine use rates in the U.S. and identifies characteristics associated with past-year methamphetamine use. Includes data on past-year meth use by county of residence for large metropolitan, small metro, and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Christopher M. Jones, Wilson M. Compton, Desiree Mustaquim
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(12), 317-323
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Washington State's 2019 Registered Nurse Workforce
Reports on the existing registered nurse (RN) workforce supply in the state of Washington. Highlights the characteristics, distribution, qualifications, and practice settings of RNs using data collected from a 2019 Nursys e-Notify survey conducted by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) and from state license renewals.
Additional links: Appendix – Unweighted Response Counts and Percentages for Each Survey Question
Author(s): Benjamin A. Stubbs, Susan M. Skillman
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: UW Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Occupancy Rates in Rural and Urban Hospitals: Value and Limitations in Use as a Measure of Surge Capacity
Compares the acute care and intensive care unit occupancy rates between rural and urban hospitals in 2018. Presents state-by-state and national data. Explores the challenges of using this data to identify surge capacity in preparation of an increase in patient volume due to COVID-19.
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Exploring State Data Sources to Monitor Rural Emergency Medical Services Performance Improvement
Examines potential sources of data that State Flex Programs (SFPs) could utilize to analyze and improve rural emergency medical services (EMS). Discusses challenges facing rural EMS systems and the assessment of these systems by SFPs. Explores how SFPs can support rural EMS data collection initiatives.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Drug and Opioid-Involved Overdose Deaths — United States, 2017–2018
Examines drug overdose deaths involving all opioids, prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids other than methadone. Includes data by county urbanization level for metropolitan and nonmetro counties.
Author(s): Nana Wilson, Mbabazi Kariisa, Puja Seth, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(11), 290-297
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Delayed Identification of Infants Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing — Minnesota, 2012–2016
Examines delays in diagnosis of hearing loss among Minnesota infants identified as deaf or hard of hearing. Includes data by location of patient residence and by birth hospital location for metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Abby C. Meyer, Melinda Marsolek, Nicole Brown, Kirsten Coverstone
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(11), 303-306
Date: 03/2020
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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