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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: The South

Rural Hospital Closings in Southern States
Interactive map depicting 59 rural hospital closures from January 2012 - July 2021 in Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Uses data from the North Carolina Health Research Program.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
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Evolving Roles of Rural Hospitals: Evidence from Pandemic Experiences
Slides presented at the 2021 Southern Legislative Conference annual meeting. Presents data on the spread of COVID-19 in rural communities over time and compares confirmed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 deaths in urban and rural counties in the southern states. Highlights how state policies can invest in and support rural hospitals.
Date: 07/2021
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
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Agricultural Stakeholders' Perceptions of Occupational Health and Safety in the Southeastern U.S. Coastal States
Highlights the perception of eleven agricultural professionals in the southeast on the current state of agricultural health and safety. Discusses a number of factors affecting health and safety of agricultural workers, such as healthcare access, economic and labor issues, and cultural competency, among others. Features information pertaining to worker safety during COVID-19.
Author(s): Tracy Irani, Beatrice Fenelon Pierre, Tyler S. Nesbit
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(12), 6605
Date: 06/2021
Type: Document
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Cancer-Related Beliefs and Preventive Health Practices among Residents of Rural Versus Urban Counties in Alabama
Examines rural-urban differences in cancer-related beliefs and lifestyle practices based on data from 671 rural- and 183 urban-county respondents in Alabama. Includes statistics broken down by age, gender, race and ethnicity, education, employment status, income, access to the internet, and more. Discusses health disparities in the Deep South.
Author(s): Salma Aly, Casey L. Daniel, Sejong Bae, et al.
Citation: Cancer Prevention Research, 14(5), 593-602
Date: 05/2021
Type: Document
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The Role of Public Health in COVID-19 Emergency Response Efforts From a Rural Health Perspective
Examines the difficulties rural communities face in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the southeastern region of the U.S. Discusses the COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Index, a tool that analyzes epidemiological factors, socioeconomic status, and other indicators to determine which communities are at an increased risk of COVID-19.
Author(s): Sandra Melvin, Corey Wiggins, Nakeitra Burse, Erica Thompson, Mauda Monger
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
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Prevalence of Self-Reported Hypertension and Antihypertensive Medication Use by County and Rural-Urban Classification — United States, 2017
Examines self-reported prevalence of diagnosed hypertension and antihypertensive medication use. Includes data for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore (rural) areas. Also discusses geographic trends at the county level, with maps showing county-level hypertension prevalence and medication use. Highlights higher prevalence of hypertension in the Southeast, Appalachia, and the Great Plains.
Author(s): Claudine M. Samanic, Kamil E. Barbour, Yong Liu, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(18), 533-539
Date: 05/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Hospital Access in the Fifth District and COVID-19
Examines hospital access in West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Washington D.C. Discusses concerns raised by the COVID-19 pandemic and provides state- and county-level statistics and data on number of hospital beds per capita, average distance to nearest hospitals, and more.
Author(s): Surekha Carpenter, Tim Sablik
Date: 04/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
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Highest U.S. Poverty Rates Are in the South, with over 20 Percent Poor in Its Rural Areas
Bar chart showing rural and urban poverty rates by region for the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West, based on data from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey.
Date: 03/2020
Type: Chart/Graph
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Bringing Palliative Care To Underserved Rural Communities
Discusses challenges and strategies related to providing palliative care to rural, predominantly Black communities in the South. Focuses on bridging cultural divides and integrating patient spirituality into the healthcare process.
Author(s): Charlotte Huff
Citation: Health Affairs, 38(12)
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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Mortality-to-Incidence Ratios by U.S. Congressional District: Implications for Epidemiologic, Dissemination and Implementation Research, and Public Health Policy
Analyzes congressional district-specific mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIR) between 2011 and 2015 for all cancers and for cancers of breast, cervix, colorectal, esophagus, lung, oral, pancreas, and prostate cancers. Compares MIRs across regions, state Medicaid expansion status, race, and rurality. Discusses implications for policymakers and researchers.
Author(s): Jan M. Eberth, Whitney E. Zahnd, Swann Arp Adams, et al.
Citation: Preventative Medicine, 129(S), 105849
Date: 12/2019
Type: Document
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