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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

Home Environment Factors Associated with Child BMI Changes During COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines the relationship between childhood obesity and home environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Observes body mass index (BMI) records and Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) screenings from a predominantly rural health system in Pennsylvania.
Author(s): Carolyn F. McCabe, G. Craig Wood, Gregory J. Welk, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 21, 84
Date: 08/2024
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FY 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System (LTCH PPS) Final Rule – CMS-1808-F
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fiscal year 2025 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (LTCH PPS) final rule. Includes information about the extension of the low-wage index hospital policy, a separate IPPS payment for small and independent hospitals to establish and maintain a buffer stock of essential medicines, the distribution of graduate medical education (GME) residency slots, updates to quality reporting programs, and more.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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The Effect of Proximity to Grocery Stores and the Pandemic on Parents' and Youths' Perceptions of Eating Habits in Predominately African American Rural Communities
Surveyed 203 youth and parents to determine the impact of grocery store access on eating habits, health, and exercise habits in 3 rural communities. Compares results between parents with and without grocery store access as well as between parents and youth. Discusses the impact of COVID-19 on eating habits and exercise.
Author(s): Amanda Williams, Sharlene D. Newman
Citation: Frontiers in Nutrition, 11
Date: 08/2024
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Veterans Health Care: VA's Video Telehealth Access Program Would Benefit from Performance Goals and Measures
Describes programs implemented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to address veterans' barriers to accessing telehealth, with a focus on the Accessing Telehealth at Local Area Stations (ATLAS) Pilot Program. Examines telehealth performance and use data, veterans' satisfaction with VHA telehealth services, and VHA efforts to assess the quality of its telehealth services. Offers recommendations to the VHA regarding the development and use of performance goals and measures to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the ATLAS program.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Sociodemographic Differences in Nonfinancial Access Barriers to Health Care Among Adults: United States, 2022
Examines nonfinancial reasons adults delay medical care, such as work or other time commitments, lack of available appointments, not having access to clinic or provider hours, difficulty finding provider match for insurance, and length of time to get to provider's office. Utilizes 2022 National Health Interview Survey to break down healthcare access barriers according to sex, age, race/ethnicity, family income, education, employment, insurance status, and urbanization level, including large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan.
Author(s): Amanda E. Ng, Dzifa Adjaye-Gbewonyo, James M. Dahlhamer
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Effects of Affordable Care Act on Uninsured Hospitalization: Evidence from Texas
Examines the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in Texas and its relationship to uninsured patient discharges. Analyzes 2011-2019 ACA Marketplace data with breakdowns according to patient race/ethnicity, age, sex, major diagnostic categories (MDCs), type of admission, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Nima Khodakarami, Benjamin Ukert
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(4)
Date: 08/2024
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Performance of Health Care Service Area Definitions for Capturing Variation in Inpatient Care and Social Determinants of Health
Examines various health care service area (HCSA) definitions and their ability to capture hospitalizations and social determinants of health (SDOH) heterogeneity in the patient population. Provides descriptive characteristics for each HCSA type, such as median population and land size, as well as characteristics of the hospital sample. Discusses which HCSA type was best able to capture hospital discharges and population heterogenity in rural areas.
Author(s): Hannah Crook, Manuel Horta, Kenneth A. Michelson, John A. Graves
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(4)
Date: 08/2024
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Oregon by the Numbers - Key Measures for Oregon and Its Counties
Breaks down demographic and socioeconomic data in Oregon by county. Highlights data on various measures for each county such as food insecurity, unemployment rate, adult smoking, broadband access, and percent rural versus urban, among others.
Additional links: En Español
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Ford Family Foundation, Oregon State University Rural Studies Program
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Federally Supported Projects and Programs for Wastewater, Drinking Water, and Water Supply Infrastructure
Provides an overview of federally-funded water infrastructure projects, including those in rural areas, as well as programs that provide community support for these types of projects and related activities. Includes information on the federal cost-share, average amount of assistance, fiscal year 2021 funding level, and fiscal year 2024 appropriations highlights for each program.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Adolescent Pregnancy: Federal Prevention Programs
Provides an overview of four federally funded programs that focus on adolescent pregnancy prevention: the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program, the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), the Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education program, and the General Departmental (GD) Sexual Risk Avoidance Education program. Features a breakdown of each program and an evaluation of their activities and efficacy. Discusses which programs operate in rural areas.
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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