Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Veterans
VA Health Care: Office of Rural Health Would Benefit from Improved Communication and Developing Performance Goals
Examines the initiatives and research projects the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) funded in fiscal year 2022. Explores how the office communicates funding opportunities and assesses its progress toward achieving its mission. Offers recommendations to the ORH regarding communicating research funding opportunities across the Veterans Administration and developing performance goals reflective of leading practices.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the initiatives and research projects the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health (ORH) funded in fiscal year 2022. Explores how the office communicates funding opportunities and assesses its progress toward achieving its mission. Offers recommendations to the ORH regarding communicating research funding opportunities across the Veterans Administration and developing performance goals reflective of leading practices.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 05/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Challenges and Recommendations for Improving Access to Evidence-Based COPD Management among Rural Veterans: Rural Primary Care Provider Perspectives
Highlights a study on the perspectives of primary care providers serving rural veterans on the challenges of providing evidence-based COPD management care in rural communities. Details key barriers and makes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Talitha Wilson, R. Adams Dudley, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38, 2843-2845
Date: 04/2023
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Highlights a study on the perspectives of primary care providers serving rural veterans on the challenges of providing evidence-based COPD management care in rural communities. Details key barriers and makes policy recommendations.
Author(s): Talitha Wilson, R. Adams Dudley, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine, 38, 2843-2845
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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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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Whole Health Coaching to Rural Veterans through Telehealth: Advantages, Gaps, and Opportunities
Discusses the Whole Health (WH) initiative – a proactive practice using coaches to engage patients in their health and well-being, and its applicability through telehealth to offer support to rural Veterans in achieving their health goals. Analyzes the findings from data collected through interviews, national surveys and focus groups of WH coaches working with rural veterans to determine the advantages of using telehealth, gaps in telehealth usage, and opportunities for WH coaching for rural veterans.
Author(s): Kelsea LeBeau, Deepthi S. Varma, Consuelo M. Kreider, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 11
Date: 03/2023
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Discusses the Whole Health (WH) initiative – a proactive practice using coaches to engage patients in their health and well-being, and its applicability through telehealth to offer support to rural Veterans in achieving their health goals. Analyzes the findings from data collected through interviews, national surveys and focus groups of WH coaches working with rural veterans to determine the advantages of using telehealth, gaps in telehealth usage, and opportunities for WH coaching for rural veterans.
Author(s): Kelsea LeBeau, Deepthi S. Varma, Consuelo M. Kreider, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 11
Date: 03/2023
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Deploying Digital Health Technologies for Remote Physical Activity Monitoring of Rural Populations With Chronic Neurologic Disease
Examines remote monitoring of physical activity (PA) levels of rural individuals enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration with a diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) or stroke. Analyzes data from 40 participants broken down by demographic information, rurality, technology access, exercise self-efficacy, fatigue, mental health, and more. Discusses the feasibility of using remote monitoring to assess PA in rural individuals with neurological disease.
Author(s): Kimberly J. Waddell, Mitesh S. Patel, Jayne R. Wilkinson, et al.
Citation: Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation, 5(1)
Date: 03/2023
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Examines remote monitoring of physical activity (PA) levels of rural individuals enrolled in the Veterans Health Administration with a diagnosis of Parkinson disease (PD) or stroke. Analyzes data from 40 participants broken down by demographic information, rurality, technology access, exercise self-efficacy, fatigue, mental health, and more. Discusses the feasibility of using remote monitoring to assess PA in rural individuals with neurological disease.
Author(s): Kimberly J. Waddell, Mitesh S. Patel, Jayne R. Wilkinson, et al.
Citation: Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation, 5(1)
Date: 03/2023
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Financial Burden of Medical Care Among Veterans Aged 25–64, by Health Insurance Coverage: United States, 2019–2021
Examines financial burden for medical care among veterans aged 25–64 for those with VA health care alone and combined with different types of health insurance coverage. Table 1 includes data on VA health care and health insurance coverage for those in metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Robin A. Cohen, Peter Boersma
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Examines financial burden for medical care among veterans aged 25–64 for those with VA health care alone and combined with different types of health insurance coverage. Table 1 includes data on VA health care and health insurance coverage for those in metropolitan and nonmetro areas.
Author(s): Robin A. Cohen, Peter Boersma
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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VA Health Care: Improved Data, Planning, and Communication Needed for Infrastructure Modernization and Realignment
Describes the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommendations to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Examines the data that the VA used to inform its recommendations, any plans that VA has to improve such data, and the extent of the VA's planning to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Discusses rural-specific recommendations and compares data on facility closure and service line change recommendations by rurality.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes the Asset and Infrastructure Review Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommendations to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Examines the data that the VA used to inform its recommendations, any plans that VA has to improve such data, and the extent of the VA's planning to modernize and realign its infrastructure. Discusses rural-specific recommendations and compares data on facility closure and service line change recommendations by rurality.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 03/2023
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Rates of Primary Care and Integrated Mental Health Telemedicine Visits Between Rural and Urban Veterans Affairs Beneficiaries Before and After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Shares the results of a study examining changes over time in rural-urban differences in telemedicine use for primary care and mental health integration services among Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries. Uses data from 138 VA healthcare systems from March 2019 to December 2021. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by visit type and rural or urban area.
Author(s): Lucinda B. Leung, Caroline Yoo, Karen Chu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(3)
Date: 03/2023
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Shares the results of a study examining changes over time in rural-urban differences in telemedicine use for primary care and mental health integration services among Veterans Affairs (VA) beneficiaries. Uses data from 138 VA healthcare systems from March 2019 to December 2021. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by visit type and rural or urban area.
Author(s): Lucinda B. Leung, Caroline Yoo, Karen Chu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 6(3)
Date: 03/2023
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The Effect of Geographic Origin and Destination on Congenital Heart Disease Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines surgical outcomes related to rural versus urban residence, distance to tertiary care, and reporting characteristics of associated surgical centers for Department of Defense (DoD) health insurance beneficiaries with congenital heart disease (CHD). Analyzes outcomes by cost, length of stay, readmission within 90 days, and patient mortality, further broken down by patient demographics, including Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA).
Author(s): Spencer M. Millen, Cara H. Olsen, Ryan P. Flanagan, John S. Scott, Craig P. Dobson
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 23, 99
Date: 02/2023
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Examines surgical outcomes related to rural versus urban residence, distance to tertiary care, and reporting characteristics of associated surgical centers for Department of Defense (DoD) health insurance beneficiaries with congenital heart disease (CHD). Analyzes outcomes by cost, length of stay, readmission within 90 days, and patient mortality, further broken down by patient demographics, including Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA).
Author(s): Spencer M. Millen, Cara H. Olsen, Ryan P. Flanagan, John S. Scott, Craig P. Dobson
Citation: BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 23, 99
Date: 02/2023
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Achieving Whole Health: A New Approach for Veterans and the Nation
Report offers guidance for providers both inside and outside of the VA for filling gaps in veterans healthcare. Discusses a team-based interprofessional care structure for preventing disease and promoting well-being. Highlights some considerations for providing a whole health approach for rural veterans as well.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Report offers guidance for providers both inside and outside of the VA for filling gaps in veterans healthcare. Discusses a team-based interprofessional care structure for preventing disease and promoting well-being. Highlights some considerations for providing a whole health approach for rural veterans as well.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 02/2023
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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