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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

The Prevalence of Mental Health Conditions Was on the Rise Before the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Pandemic Had a Negative Effect on Mental Health
Data spotlight on mental illness, depression, and suicide among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes disparities and discusses barriers to care related to a variety of sociodemographic factors including geography. See Figures 3, 7, and 8 for data on health professional shortage areas (HPSAs), mental health-related emergency department visits, and suicide deaths by level of rurality.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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The Low-Volume Hospital Adjustment Before and During COVID-19
Describes characteristics of rural low-volume hospitals (LVHs) between April 2018 and March 2022. Compares the characteristics and profitability of rural LVHs with other rural prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents data on LVH profitability margins with and without the LVH payment adjustment.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Susie Gurzenda, Kristie Thompson, George Pink
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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The Poverty Area Measures Data Product
Provides background and technical information on the 2022 Poverty Area Measures (PAM) data product that examines the geography of poverty in the United States. Includes discussion on data selection, methodological considerations, and more, with analysis of poverty measures according to rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Tracey Farrigan, Austin Sanders
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Medicare Advantage Enrollees Account for a Rising Share of Inpatient Hospital Days
Describes the growth of Medicare Advantage (MA) as a share of hospital inpatient days between 2015 and 2022. Presents data from hospital cost reports submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) regarding the share of inpatient days attributable to MA compared to traditional Medicare, the percentage of hospitals with more inpatient days from Medicare Advantage than traditional Medicare, and the variation across hospitals within counties. Compares trends in the share of inpatient days for MA enrollees across rural, micropolitan, and metropolitan hospitals.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Building Resilience: How Recent Federal Policy Is Laying the Groundwork for Improved Climate Adaptation
Examines the intersection of public health, climate change, and equity and details federal policy that focuses on climate adaptation and resilience strategies for underserved, rural, and/or tribal communities. Provides resources and collaborative opportunities for public health departments to address climate change issues in their local areas. Includes data on global surface temperature by year and state-by-state infrastructure funding to improve environmental health.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Qualitative Insights into Mental Health Treatment Through Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Natural Experiment in Community Mental Health Centers
Examines telemedicine for mental healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic for criminal justice-involved individuals. Analyzes qualitative interview feedback with 61 community mental health center service providers in Indiana, focusing on benefits and drawbacks of telemedicine service delivery. Includes discussion regarding the impact of telemedicine for mental health treatment in rural populations.
Author(s): Brittany J. Hood
Citation: Health & Justice, 12, 32
Date: 07/2024
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Rural Veteran Perception of Healthcare Access in South Carolina and Florida: A Qualitative Study
Presents a study on the perceptions of healthcare access for rural veterans and their families in South Carolina and Florida. Bases findings on interviews with veterans and their spouses on barriers to accessing physical and mental healthcare in their rural communities.
Author(s): Maria Mercedes Rossi, Heidi L. Radunovich, Michelle A. Parisi
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 826
Date: 07/2024
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Why Primary Care Practitioners Aren't Joining Value-Based Payment Models: Reasons and Potential Solutions
Explores reasons why primary care providers do not participate in value-based payment models. Presents findings from focus group and key informant interviews with primary care providers and primary care member organizations. Covers financial, workforce, and administrative burden-related challenges, and outlines potential solutions. Includes a discussion of financial challenges small and rural independent practices face in participating in value-based payment models.
Author(s): Ann S. O'Malley, Rumin Sarwar, Cindy Alvarez, Eugene C. Rich
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Addressing Opioid Misuse through Community-Engaged Strategy Development: Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Describes the design of a research study to evaluate the effectiveness of the SEED Method and a modified Delphi method for the recruitment of participants to a community-based participatory research project. Study participants will develop strategies to respond to the opioid epidemic in three rural Virginia communities.
Author(s): Emily B. Zimmerman, Carlin Rafie, Sophie G. Wenzel, et al.
Citation: Research Involvement and Engagement, 10, 74
Date: 07/2024
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Email Recruitment for Chronic Pain Clinical Trials: Results from the LAMP Trial
Evaluates the use of postal mail and email as recruitment methods for a mindfulness-based chronic pain intervention trial, Learning to Apply Mindfulness to Pain (LAMP). Measures effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of responses in a population of veterans diagnosed with chronic pain. Includes data on rural versus urban response rates.
Author(s): John E. Ferguson, Emily Hagel Campbell, et al.
Citation: Trials, 25, 491
Date: 07/2024
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