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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Specialty care

Effect of Rurality and Travel Distance on Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy for Unilateral Breast Cancer
Analyzes the relationship between travel time and rurality for breast cancer patients seeking contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM). Utilizes 2007-2017 National Cancer Database data to examine demographic factors, patient rurality, surgery characteristics, and more.
Author(s): Madison M. Wahlen, Ingrid M. Lizarraga, Amanda R. Kahl, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 34, 171-186
Date: 04/2023
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Association of Rurality and Identifying as Black with Receipt of Specialty Care Among Patients Hospitalized with a Diabetic Foot Ulcer: A Medicare Cohort Study
Examines if rural, Black patients with diabetes receive specialty care at the same rate as the larger, aggregated population of diabetes patients. Analyzes 124,487 Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized with diabetic foot ulcers from 2013 to 2014. Includes data broken down by rural versus urban, race/ethnicity, and characteristics and severity of disease.
Author(s): Lindsay Taylor, Ronald Gangnon, W Ryan Powell, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care, 11(2), e003185
Date: 04/2023
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Harm Reduction and Recovery Services Support (HRRSS) to Mitigate the Opioid Overdose Epidemic in a Rural Community
Examines factors impacting harm reduction and recovery services related to opioid use in a rural South Carolina county. Discusses feedback from 338 community respondents regarding issues such as syringe services programs, safe consumption sites, placement of naloxone in public places, and more, with data reported as a harm reduction and recovery support score (HRRSS) connected to various demographic variables and personal beliefs.
Author(s): Moonseong Heo, Taylor Beachler, Laksika B. Sivaraj, et al.
Citation: Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 18, 23
Date: 04/2023
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Surveillance of the Initiation of, Participation in, and Completion of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Minnesota, 2017–2018
Analyzes cardiac rehabilitation (CR) disparities in Minnesota related to eligibility, initiation, participation, and completion of CR. Examines 12,937 Minnesota All Payer Claims Database members who qualified for CR, with data broken down by county, demographics, type of health insurance, comorbidities, social vulnerability, qualifying condition, rural-urban commuting area code, and more.
Author(s): James M. Peacock, Emily Styles, Sara Johnson, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 20
Date: 04/2023
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Rural-Urban Trends in Health Care Utilization, Treatment, and Mortality Among US Veterans with Congestive Heart Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines Veterans Health Administration patients between 2012 and 2017 with congestive heart failure. Data compare rural and urban differences in healthcare use, treatment received, and mortality with consideration for severity of diagnosis.
Author(s): Maya Aboumrad, David Peritz, Scott Friedman, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(4), 844-852
Date: 04/2023
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The Interaction of Rurality and Rare Cancers for Travel Time to Cancer Care
Explores the connection between rurality and travel time to receive treatment for rare cancers. Breaks down data by patient characteristics, such as age and rurality, among other measures. Compares rare cancers with common cancers and by treatment type.
Author(s): Tracy Onega, Jennifer Alford-Teaster, Chris Leggett, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 39(2), 426-433
Date: 03/2023
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Measuring and Addressing Health Equity: An Assessment of Cancer Center Designation Requirements
Examines equity structures, processes, and outcomes in cancer center endorsements and their relationship to high-quality cancer care for all populations. Discusses cancer health disparities related to socioeconomic and insurance status, racial/ethnic groups, medically underserved populations, and rural populations. Describes how endorsing bodies can incorporate health equity requirements in cancer care for these groups.
Author(s): Jason T. Semprini, Caitlin B. Biddell, Jan M. Eberth, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 34, 23-33
Date: 03/2023
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A Novel Cardio-Oncology Service Line Model in Optimizing Care Access, Quality and Equity for Large, Multi-Hospital Health Systems
Examines the impact of establishing an academic cardio-oncology service line model for a large, multi-hospital health system to improve access, with rural populations as a primary focus. Discusses multidisciplinary approach, infrastructure elements, quality control, central governance, creation of protocols, and establishment of a cardio-oncology registry.
Author(s): Yan Liu
Citation: Cardio-Oncology, 9, 16
Date: 03/2023
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Leveraging Telemedicine To Eliminate Outcome Disparities For Rural-Born Newborns
Presentation slides from a webinar discussing the barriers affecting care for neonatal encephalopathy in rural areas. Describes telemedicine strategies evaluating neonatal encephalopathy and methods for improving parent understanding. Identifies other applications of telemedicine appropriate for the care of newborns and children.
Additional links: Transcript
Author(s): Alexa Craig
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
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Teleneurology via Tablet Technology: An Effective Low-Cost Method to Increase Healthcare Accessibility
Presents a study on the use of low-cost tablets in place of more expensive "telemedicine robots" as a means of providing teleneurology services to small rural hospitals. Evaluates a hub-and-spoke teleneurology program based at Vanderbilt University Medical Center serving smaller, community-based hospitals in Kentucky and Tennessee. Draws data from physician and patient surveys.
Author(s): Kelly Harper, Claire Hanson, Bryan Eoff, et al.
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 23(1), 7591
Date: 03/2023
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