Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health
The Future of Rural Health: Report on a Special Convening Held November 19-20, 2024
Summarizes discussions held during a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts that aimed to identify the needs of the rural health communities, build on existing strengths, and develop a cohesive approach to improving the health of rural residents. Describes the themes and policy options that emerged throughout the summit. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Association, Rural Policy Research Institute, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, West Health Institute
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Summarizes discussions held during a November 2024 summit of rural health services delivery and finance experts that aimed to identify the needs of the rural health communities, build on existing strengths, and develop a cohesive approach to improving the health of rural residents. Describes the themes and policy options that emerged throughout the summit. Covers financing rural health services, payment policies, workforce considerations, the use of technology and data, and more.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organizations: National Rural Health Association, Rural Policy Research Institute, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, West Health Institute
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Consulting for Vermont's Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) Roadmap
Discusses benefits and challenges associated with incorporating information on social determinants of health (SDoH) and health-related social needs (HRSN) into Vermont's state health information exchange. Includes discussion of rurality-associated challenges with healthcare access, quality of life, and statistical surveying.
Author(s): Karen Swietek, Elise Comperchio, Jennifer Norris
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: NORC at the University of Chicago
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Discusses benefits and challenges associated with incorporating information on social determinants of health (SDoH) and health-related social needs (HRSN) into Vermont's state health information exchange. Includes discussion of rurality-associated challenges with healthcare access, quality of life, and statistical surveying.
Author(s): Karen Swietek, Elise Comperchio, Jennifer Norris
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: NORC at the University of Chicago
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Factors Associated with Multiple-Death Suicides among Rural US Decedents
Examines themes related to multiple suicides, or suicide confirmed in 2 or more descendants, in rural areas. Utilizes 2013-2021 data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) to analyze suicide deaths in rural areas based on meticulous planning, mutual dependency, unbearable health conditions, and other social factors.
Author(s): Victor A. Soupene, Timothy Hays, Jonathan Davis, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1)
Date: 02/2025
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Examines themes related to multiple suicides, or suicide confirmed in 2 or more descendants, in rural areas. Utilizes 2013-2021 data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) to analyze suicide deaths in rural areas based on meticulous planning, mutual dependency, unbearable health conditions, and other social factors.
Author(s): Victor A. Soupene, Timothy Hays, Jonathan Davis, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1)
Date: 02/2025
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Instability Continues to Threaten Rural Health Safety Net: Reduced Reimbursements, Dwindling Access to Care and Deteriorating Population Health Status
Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines factors contributing to the instability of the rural healthcare safety net, including policy-related reimbursement cuts and changes to payer mixes. Presents data on rural hospitals that have stopped offering obstetrics and chemotherapy services. Explores aspects of rural population health and social drivers of health as they relate to rural healthcare delivery challenges.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Using Social Risks to Predict Unplanned Hospital Readmission and Emergency Care Among Hospitalized Veterans
Examines the correlation of hospital readmission rates of veterans and social risk. Utilizes 2016-2022 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data to create a social risk index, focusing on domains such as psychosocial, financial, housing, food insecurity, violence, access to care, neighborhood deprivation, and more. Includes breakdowns of social risk according to sociodemographic variables, VA priority enrollment, hospital readmission, and rural, highly rural, or urban.
Author(s): Portia Y. Cornell, Cassandra L. Hua, Zachary M. Buchalksi, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(1), e14353
Date: 02/2025
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Examines the correlation of hospital readmission rates of veterans and social risk. Utilizes 2016-2022 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data to create a social risk index, focusing on domains such as psychosocial, financial, housing, food insecurity, violence, access to care, neighborhood deprivation, and more. Includes breakdowns of social risk according to sociodemographic variables, VA priority enrollment, hospital readmission, and rural, highly rural, or urban.
Author(s): Portia Y. Cornell, Cassandra L. Hua, Zachary M. Buchalksi, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 60(1), e14353
Date: 02/2025
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Cumulative Social Disadvantage and Medicinal Cannabis Use among Younger Adults in Rural Communities: A Mixed Methods Approach
Examines associations between medicinal cannabis use and social disadvantage among 153 adults aged 18-35 in rural northern California. Discusses topics including rural access to primary and mental healthcare, stigma, and the relationships between recreational and medicinal cannabis use.
Author(s): Sharon Lipperman-Kreda, Emile Sanders, Julie Peach, et al.
Citation: Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 58(3), 325-334
Date: 01/2025
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Examines associations between medicinal cannabis use and social disadvantage among 153 adults aged 18-35 in rural northern California. Discusses topics including rural access to primary and mental healthcare, stigma, and the relationships between recreational and medicinal cannabis use.
Author(s): Sharon Lipperman-Kreda, Emile Sanders, Julie Peach, et al.
Citation: Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 58(3), 325-334
Date: 01/2025
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Investigating Suicide Risk Factors Among Appalachian West Virginian Adults
Results of a study exploring lifetime suicide risk in West Virginia. Identifies factors driving urban-rural differences in suicide risk, using survey data from the 2021 Mountain State Assessment of Trends in Community Health. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Erin D. Caswell, Angela M. Dyer, Summer D. Hartley
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 41-66
Date: 01/2025
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Results of a study exploring lifetime suicide risk in West Virginia. Identifies factors driving urban-rural differences in suicide risk, using survey data from the 2021 Mountain State Assessment of Trends in Community Health. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by urban or rural residence.
Author(s): Erin D. Caswell, Angela M. Dyer, Summer D. Hartley
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 41-66
Date: 01/2025
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Current Attitudes and Barriers Among Appalachian Patients Towards Orthopaedic Surgery
Describes challenges faced by southern West Virginia rural residents in accessing orthopedic care, due to geographic and socioeconomic barriers. Uses data from 132 electronic surveys collected from patients during an appointment with their primary care provider at an affiliated outreach clinic.
Author(s): Dylan Smith, Justin B. West, Wade Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 67-80
Date: 01/2025
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Describes challenges faced by southern West Virginia rural residents in accessing orthopedic care, due to geographic and socioeconomic barriers. Uses data from 132 electronic surveys collected from patients during an appointment with their primary care provider at an affiliated outreach clinic.
Author(s): Dylan Smith, Justin B. West, Wade Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 67-80
Date: 01/2025
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Farmworker Health Network: 2024 Key Resources for Agricultural Worker Health
Highlights several resources on agricultural worker health, including a toolkit to encourage ag worker participation on health center boards and model programs to address specific health conditions. Provides a summary for each resource and links to more information on each sponsoring program's website.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Farmworker Justice Fund, Inc., Health Outreach Partners, MHP Salud, Migrant Clinicians Network, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Center for Farmworker Health
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Highlights several resources on agricultural worker health, including a toolkit to encourage ag worker participation on health center boards and model programs to address specific health conditions. Provides a summary for each resource and links to more information on each sponsoring program's website.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Farmworker Justice Fund, Inc., Health Outreach Partners, MHP Salud, Migrant Clinicians Network, National Association of Community Health Centers, National Center for Farmworker Health
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Perinatal Mental Health in Maine
Offers data from various sources, including reviews of pregnancy-associated deaths, to help health professionals, policymakers, and the public understand the current status of perinatal mental health in Maine. Includes a section on mental health needs in rural areas and a county-level map with shadings showing numbers of mental health providers per 10,000 population.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Department of Health and Human Services
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Offers data from various sources, including reviews of pregnancy-associated deaths, to help health professionals, policymakers, and the public understand the current status of perinatal mental health in Maine. Includes a section on mental health needs in rural areas and a county-level map with shadings showing numbers of mental health providers per 10,000 population.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Department of Health and Human Services
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