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Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document

Addressing the Shortage of Direct Care Workers: Insights from Seven States
Brief assessing efforts for strengthening and identifying federal policy opportunities related to the direct care workforce through interviews with 20 stakeholders in 7 states. Discusses federal funding, collaboration, workforce pipelines, credentials, training, family caregivers, and home- and community-based services. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Barbara Lyons, Molly O'Malley Watts
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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The Health and Social Impacts of the Maui Wildfires: Post-Disaster Care from a Sociocultural Lens
Highlights the impact of a wildfire event on existing health and social service disparities in Maui, Hawaii. Discusses housing, employment, finances, mental health, suicide risk, culture, social isolation, rurality, and service limitations. Notes opportunities and challenges for addressing these impacts using telehealth and outside assistance.
Author(s): Ryan Holliday, Lauren S. Krishnamurti, Shiloh E. Jordan, et al.
Citation: Hawai'i Journal of Health & Social Welfare, 83(3), 85-87
Date: 03/2024
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Ohio Health Policy Brief: Connections Between Water Quality and Health
Examines water quality in Ohio, the health impacts of polluted water, and water policy to address potential harm. Provides data on harmful algal bloom, percent of households without complete plumbing facilities by county type, per capita H2Ohio funding for lead service line replacements by county type, and counties with drinking water violations. Includes discussion about environmental health disparities in disadvantaged populations, such as Appalachian and rural.
Author(s): Lexi Chirakos, Robin Blair-Ackison, Tonni Oberly, Jacob Santiago, Anna Sheeran
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Health Policy Institute of Ohio
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Partnerships to Address Social Needs Across Metropolitan and Non-Metropolitan Prospective Payment System Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals
Explores the extent to which hospitals partner with community organizations to address population and/or community health needs. Analyzes data from the 2021 American Hospital Association Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Supplement to describe the number and types of hospital partnerships with community-based organizations. Compares results by hospital type - metropolitan prospective payment system (PPS), Critical Access Hospital (CAH), and non-metropolitan PPS - and by U.S. Census region, ownership status, and accountable care organization (ACO) participation.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Khyathi Gadag, Kristin D. Wilson, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Practice Facilitation and Peer Coaching for Uncontrolled Hypertension Among Black Individuals: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Evaluated efficacy of peer coaching and practice facilitation compared to enhanced usual care on blood pressure control for 1,209 rural patients in Alabama and North Carolina. Discusses impact of age on findings.
Author(s): Monika M. Safford, Doyle M. Cummings, Jacqueline R. Halladay, et al.
Citation: JAMA Internal Medicine, 184(5), 538-546
Date: 03/2024
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Ready or Not 2024: Protecting the Public's Health from Diseases, Disasters, and Bioterrorism
Report explores the readiness of state public health systems to respond to emergencies, such as diseases, disasters, and bioterrorism. Focuses on measures such as hospital safety scores, vaccination rates, and water system maintenance, among others. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Author(s): Matt McKillop, Rhea K. Farberman, Dara Alpert Lieberman
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Reaching the Unheard: Overcoming Challenges in Health Research with Hard-to-Reach Populations
Analyzes strategies to engage hard-to-reach populations in health research. Discusses two case studies focused on specific issues in health research: breast cancer screening among rural and urban Mexican women in Illinois and mental health needs of Afghan refugees in Oklahoma. Provides reflection on issues such as cultural competency, language used in research, cultural identity and representation of research staff, choosing appropriate research sites, and more.
Author(s): Venera Bekteshi, Munjireen Sifat, Darla E. Kendzor
Citation: International Journal for Equity in Health, 23, 61
Date: 03/2024
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Use of the Area Deprivation Index and Rural Applications in the Peer-Reviewed Literature
Brief discusses the use of the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) in peer-reviewed literature and interrogates how deprivation is defined and how the ADI is related to rurality. Defines ADI based on a literature review and explores the co-usage of ADI and rural in the literature. Recommends future research topics related to ADI and rurality.
Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Nicole Galler, Stephanie M. Mathis, et al.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Evaluation of the USDA Summer EBT Demonstrations: Lessons Learned From More Than a Decade of Research
Reports results of the Summer EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) demonstration project, 2015-2018 and 2019-2022. Describes Summer EBT use patterns, nutritional value, and effect on childhood food insecurity. Identifies strategies for better program planning, implementation, and administration. Discusses program operation and challenges in tribal organizations and rural communities.
Additional links: 2015-2018 Evaluation, 2019-2022 Evaluation, Summary
Author(s): René Nutter, Ayesha Enver, Maria Boyle, et al.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration
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MedPAC Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy: Mandated Report: Rural Emergency Hospitals: Chapter 15
Provides an overview of the Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Discusses the evolution of Medicare's support for rural hospitals through payment policies and the impact of declining inpatient volumes on rural hospitals' financial sustainability. Describes the characteristics of hospitals that converted to REH status in 2023, the first year of the designation.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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