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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

Calculation of Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings With and Without Inclusion of the Peer Grouping Step
Examines potential implications of including a peer grouping step in the calculation of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Overall Star Ratings. Uses January 2023 Medicare Care Compare data on 3,076 hospitals that received a star rating to calculate the peer groups based on the number of quality measure groups for which hospitals had 3 or more reported measures. Presents data on the characteristics of each peer group, the distribution of star ratings whether the peer grouping step was used or not used, and the number of hospitals with a higher, lower, or identical star rating when the peer grouping step was applied. Compares data by hospital characteristics, including safety-net status, Critical Access Hospital status, rural or urban location, and more.
Author(s): Cameron J. Gettel, Kyle Bagshaw, Li Qin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 7(5), e2411933
Date: 05/2024
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Facilitators and Barriers of HPV Vaccination: A Qualitative Study in Rural Georgia
Presents findings from interviews with 40 parents and young adults in rural southwest Georgia on attitudes, knowledge, and preferences related to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination uptake. Discusses challenges and opportunities related to transportation, knowledge, trust, and stigma.
Author(s): Courtney N. Petagna, Stephen Perez, Erica Hsu, et al.
Citation: BMC Cancer, 24, 592
Date: 05/2024
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COVID-19 Vaccines: Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Use Varied By Urban, Rural Counties
Examines rural versus urban usage of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines by county. Provides data on first and second dose of vaccines, with data broken down by large central metro, large fringe metro, medium metro, small metro, micropolitan, or noncore location. Includes county-level maps showing Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech spatial usage and discusses geographic implications that impacted access to each vaccine.
Author(s): Katherine Wen, Daniel A. Harris, Preeti Chachlani, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 43(5)
Date: 05/2024
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Proximity to Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in a Maternity Desert in the Deep South
Examines access to hospital facilities with maternity services in a rural Alabama county by measuring driving distance from maternal residence to birth hospital. Discusses the impact of maternity care deserts on rural residents.
Author(s): Jenna James, Steven R. Schultze, Alyssa Lee, Allen Perkins, Casey L. Daniel
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 114(S4), S289-S336
Date: 05/2024
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Housing for Rural Residents Recovering from Substance Use Disorders
Presents a study featuring a number of programs providing housing for substance use disorder (SUD) recovery in rural communities. Discusses three different case studies on programs in MN, OR, and WV. Highlights the community need, organizational structure, and key features of each program.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Ingrid Jacobson, Mariana Tuttle, et al.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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3RNET Annual Report 2022-2023
Includes information on accomplishments from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. Features statistics on referrals, placements, job postings, and technical assistance.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: 3RNET
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Collaboration, Not Competition: Thrive Allen County's Capacity Building Initiatives
Features the work of a Kansas nonprofit, Thrive Allen County, that brings grant funding to the county for its own projects and also helps build the area's capacity through grant writing, technical assistance, and other services.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Differences in Measurement of Operating Margin: An Update
Describes how differences in measurement of operating margin for hospitals can affect the reported values. Compares the operating margins of urban and rural prospective payment system hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) across three definitions of operating margin using Medicare Cost Report data from April 2021 through March 2022. Describes situations in which each operating margin would be the most appropriate to calculate. Updates a 2008 study from the Flex Monitoring Team.
Author(s): Jessie Ma, Susie Gurzenda, Kristin Reiter, George Pink
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Promoting Rural Financial Well-Being and Inclusion: Aligning Strategies with Community Needs
Provides measures for financial well-being and defines assets across rural county types, such as high-employment agricultural areas, centers of wealth and health, recreational and cultural areas, and more, and includes economic indicators like income and home ownership rate for each county type. Discusses challenges to financial well-being, strategies to improve economies, and policy considerations.
Author(s): Yipeng Su, Anna Morgan
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Task Force on Maternal Mental Health: National Strategy to Improve Maternal Mental Health Care
Offers 5 recommendations for improving maternal mental health and associated substance use disorders using a whole-government approach by building infrastructure to improve care. Recommendations discuss federal collaboration, accessibility of care, data gathering, prevention strategies, and engaging those with lived experience. Discusses rural throughout.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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