Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

The Rural Monitor
Articles by Topic: Health conditions

Perspectives on the Long of COVID: From Doomscrolling to Rural Management Strategies

March 8, 2023
In the wake of acute COVID-19 comes another public health concern: Millions of rural Americans are experiencing Long COVID. With a federal agency representative weighing in on rural research efforts, a Tennessee rural health researcher shares his Long COVID story alongside a New York rural healthcare system who shares their story about the condition's management options.

Staving Off One's Mortality: Rural Kidney Health and Its Disparities

June 15, 2022
For the 240,000 rural Americans with complete kidney failure, it's likely that very few knew they even had kidney disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, kidney disease is usually silent; 90% of people with kidney disease don't know they have it. With research pointing to the high costs of kidney disease for pediatric and adult patients alike — mostly covered by Medicare — experts and researchers discuss rural disparities around access to disease-stabilizing treatment and to renal replacement therapies.

RESEP Clinics Help Rural Residents Access Care and Compensation After Radiation Exposure

June 1, 2022
Nuclear weapons testing from 1945 to 1962 and uranium mining from 1943 to 1971 exposed workers and community members living near the mines or testing sites to harmful levels of radiation that can lead to cancer and other illnesses. Radiation Exposure Screening and Education Program (RESEP) grants help healthcare organizations provide screenings, referrals for medical treatment, and other services to this population. Two grantees, the Navajo Area RESEP and the Southwestern Utah RESEP, share their stories.

Out of the Shadows: Reducing the Rural Impact of Epilepsy

October 20, 2021
A common health condition, epilepsy impacts rural populations in many ways, including the ability to drive. Medical and public health experts join an advocacy organization to review the condition's impact and outline rural management approaches — including seizure first aid.

Federal Agencies' Investment in Rural Cancer Control Fosters Partnerships between Researchers and Rural Communities

July 28, 2021
Researchers and rural communities are working together to address rural cancer prevention and control, with federal funding supporting a wide range of projects. From targeting health behaviors, to making cancer screening and vaccination more accessible, to increasing rural participation in clinical trials, efforts to reduce rural cancer burden are underway across the country.

Remote Patient Monitoring Helps Rural Patients Recover at Home

July 14, 2021
Essentia Health created the Remote Patient Monitoring program to allow some patients to recover at home while still having access to medical attention. Program launch was accelerated to treat COVID-19 patients, but Essentia plans to continue the program after the pandemic to treat other chronic diseases.