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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Social determinants of health

How is Digital Health Suitability Measured for Communities? A Systematic Review
Provides a systemic review of how digital health suitability is measured to determine if communities can access digital health services. Provides descriptions of various community, ecological, and social vulnerability indices and their ability to measure digital health suitability. Includes discussion about how rurality impacts digital health equity.
Author(s): John Geracitano, Luke Barron, David McSwain, Saif Khairat
Citation: Digital Health, 10
Date: 10/2024
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Association Between Obesogenic Environments and Childhood Overweight/Obesity Across the United States: Differences by Rurality
Examines the impact of environmental factors on childhood obesity in rural areas. Utilizes the Childhood Obesogenic Environment Index (COEI) to analyze statistical differences in rural versus urban counties in the U.S. Discusses the relationship of COEI variables and childhood overweight/obesity rates.
Author(s): Kara Davis, Demetrius A. Abshire, Courtney Monroe, Caroline Rudisill, Andrew T. Kaczynski
Citation: Journal of Rural Health
Date: 10/2024
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Disparities in Structural Brain Imaging in Older Adults from Rural Communities in Southern Nevada
Analyzes the association of brain cortical thickness (CT) with rurality and neighborhood disadvantage among older adults with and without clinical impairment related to dementia. Utilizes demographic and MRI scan data of 71 rural and 87 urban Nevadans.
Author(s): Xiaowei Zhuang, Dietmar Cordes, Jessica Z. K. Caldwell, Andrew R. Bender, Justin B. Miller
Citation: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 16
Date: 10/2024
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Associations between Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index Scores, Rurality, and Histoplasmosis Incidence, 8 US States
Examines association between histoplasmosis and race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and rurality, utilizing county-level Minority Health Social Vulnerability Index (MH SVI) data. Breaks down histoplasmosis infection rates by level of rurality, with additional data on rurality and infection for 8 MH SVI themes including socioeconomic status, minority status and language, healthcare infrastructure and access, and more. Discusses rural health access and health disparities.
Author(s): Dallas J. Smith, Malavika Rajeev, Kristina Boyd, et al.
Citation: Emerging Infectious Diseases, 30(10)
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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The 2021–2022 Study of Family and Staff Experiences in American Indian and Alaska Native Head Start FACES Programs: Spring 2022 Data Tables and Study Design
Provides a comprehensive overview of Region XI Head Start programs, which works with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities, and provides data from the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES). Includes data on Region XI characteristics, experiences, health status, and needs of children and their families; cultural and linguistic experiences; and characteristics of Head Start programs and staff.
Author(s): Charlotte Cabili, Natalie Reid, Carla Chavez, et al.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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Diagnostic Excellence in U.S. Rural Healthcare: A Call to Action
Issue brief exploring challenges to diagnostic quality in rural healthcare. Provides an overview of the topic of diagnostic errors in rural settings, and provides suggestions related to resource and workforce limitations, access to care, care coordination and other service delivery models, and social determinants of health.
Author(s): Kisha J. Ali, Nick J. Galvez, Sarah Craig, et al.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Leveraging Medicaid to Support Housing and Nutrition in Ohio
Describes the Ohio Medicaid program and the federal Medicaid health-related social needs (HRSN) framework. Discusses how Medicaid coverage in Ohio can cover aspects of housing and nutrition needs as of 2023. Includes county-level map depicting percent of income spent on housing in Ohio as well as examples of programs addressing HRSNs in rural areas.
Author(s): Hailey Akah, Robin Blair-Ackison, Edith Nkenganyi, et al.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Social Deprivation and Multimorbidity Among Community-Based Health Center Patients in the United States
Analyzes the relationship between social deprivation and multimorbidity in U.S. adults. Examines electronic health record (EHR) data from 816,921 patients for morbidity and social indicators, such as age, sex, race/ethnicity, poverty, insurance coverage, education, income, and rurality.
Author(s): Steele Valenzuela, Katherine D. Peak, Nathalie Huguet, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 21
Date: 09/2024
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North Carolina Health Disparities Analysis Report, 2024
Reports on health disparities in North Carolina, identifies priority populations, and provides strategies to improve health equity. Discusses rural needs and provides rural-urban data comparisons on select topics including social drivers of health, access to care, health workforce, chronic and infectious disease, mental health, substance use, suicide, violence, and injury.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
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Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 Webinar
A recorded webinar that discusses the Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 report focused on household food security, food expenditures, and use of federal food and nutrition assistance programs in 2022, with breakdowns for metro versus nonmetro location. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Matthew P. Rabbitt
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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