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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

Association of Neighborhood Measures of Social Determinants of Health With Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates in the US Midwest
Results of a study examining how area-level social determinants of health and rurality were associated with cancer screening practices in 75 Mayo Clinic and Mayo Clinic Health System practices in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin in 2016-2017. Features statistics on factors associated with 3 types of cancer screenings, with breakdowns by urban, rural, and highly rural areas.
Author(s): Shaheen S. Kurani, Rozalina G. McCoy, Michelle A. Lampman, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(3)
Date: 03/2020
Type: Document
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Building Partnerships to Improve Health in the Rural South: CareSouth Carolina
Provides an overview of CareSouth Carolina, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and its approaches to increase engagement with low-income patients in its service area. Describes the role of community health workers to address social determinants of health. Discusses partnerships with community organizations and the development of an independent practice association with other FQHCs in South Carolina. Includes CareSouth Carolina performance scorecard and a summary of lessons learned.
Author(s): Martha Hostetter, Sarah Klein
Date: 02/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Healthy North Carolina 2030: A Path Toward Health
Discusses population health in North Carolina, identifying disparities in health outcomes and social determinants of health. Provides data on selected indicators, including unemployment, access to healthy food, and primary care workforce availability, among others. Sets targets and identifies strategies for improvement. Mentions people in rural areas throughout as a population experiencing health disparities.
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Institute of Medicine
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Understanding and Addressing the Drivers of Infant Mortality in Maine
Overview of infant mortality data for Maine between 2000 and 2017. Includes county-level data as well as rural and urban comparisons. Discusses causes of mortality, risk factors, challenges for rural residents in the Maine healthcare system, social determinants of health, and more. Makes recommendations for decreasing infant mortality with specific recommendations for rural.
Author(s): Katherine Flaherty
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
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Health Disparities Report for Illinois and Illinois Counties, 2011-2015 Data
Provides state- and county-level statistics from 2011-2015 on health disparities and related information for the state of Illinois. Includes data on demographics, social determinants of health, health behaviors, healthcare access, morbidity, and more.
Author(s): Veronica Halloway, Mohammed Shahidullah, Lutfun Nahar
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Department of Public Health
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Tanner Health System: Promoting Healthy Behaviors
Describes "Get Healthy, Eat Well," an initiative by Tanner Health System to promote healthy behaviors in its rural Georgia and Alabama communities. Provides an overview of the framework that guided the network of community partners, school and community interventions, and results of the program. Includes lessons learned and next steps.
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Quantification of Neighborhood-Level Social Determinants of Health in the Continental United States
Results of a study examining 71,901 census tracts, to quantify the social determinants of health (SDOH) consisting of advantage, isolation, opportunity, and mixed immigrant cohesion. Features demographic statistics with breakdowns by 7 multidimensional neighborhood typologies, including Rural Affordable. Offers comparisons between SDOH in Chicago and the rest of the continental United States.
Author(s): Marynia Kolak, Jay Bhatt, Yoon Hong Park, Norma A. Padron, Ayrin Molefe
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 3(1)
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
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Alternative Drinking Water Systems: Use by Very Small Communities, Related Cost Savings, and Technical Assistance Provided by EPA and USDA
Provides an overview of 5 alternative drinking water systems used by communities with fewer than 500 people and the barriers to implementing new systems and technologies in small communities. Describes factors that influence the costs and cost-savings of alternative drinking water systems. Identifies 4 federal funding programs that support technical assistance and training for small drinking water systems serving communities of fewer than 10,000 people.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Striving for Birth Equity: Family Medicine's Role in Overcoming Disparities in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality
Policy position paper examining disparities in maternal morbidity and mortality, and offering recommendations for ways in which family physicians, educators, and policy makers can facilitate and advocate for change. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Academy of Family Physicians
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A Portrait of Louisiana 2020: Human Development in an Age of Uncertainty
Assesses well-being and access to opportunities among Louisiana residents by examining health disparities, access to healthy food, social determinants of health, racial inequality, and other topics. Provides human development index (HDI) scores for Louisiana state by gender, race, ethnicity, and parish.
Author(s): Kristen Lewis
Date: 2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Measure of America
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