Topics: Utah

For more information and resources, see the Utah state guide.

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

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.

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.

Dr. Crystal Willie Sekaquaptewa is the first Native American to work as a dentist in the Utah Navajo Health System. She discusses the importance of patient education and cultural competency.

Wildfires. Child abuse. Sexual assault. The negative and ongoing effects of these experiences are the reason communities and medical providers are using an approach called trauma-informed care. This article features ways trauma is understood and treated in a rural community, a Wyoming pediatrician’s clinic, and for nurses providing assault exams.

The Southwest, with its large geographic area of deserts and mountains, faces unique challenges when it comes to telehealth. The Southwest Telehealth Resource Center assists the region’s healthcare providers through training programs, technical assistance, webinars, and blogs.

Resistant bacteria, or “superbugs,” are a cause of major medical illness and death. Government and accreditation agencies, as well as infectious disease experts, believe hospital antibiotic stewardship programs are the answer to blunting the impact and development of these germs. Despite limited resources, rural and Critical Access Hospitals are activating their stewardship programs.

Oral health training programs are equipping Community Health Workers on Navajo Nation, Texas colonias, and Maryland’s Appalachian communities to improve access to dental care and teach people how to take care of their teeth.

Utah’s Housing First effort is decreasing the number of homeless in the state while saving thousands of dollars in emergency medical bills and other costs.

The Rural Monitor

Articles and resources on key rural health issues, from the Rural Health Information Hub

Topics: Utah

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

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

Dentistry in the Navajo Nation: Q&A with Dr. Crystal Willie Sekaquaptewa

Rising from the Ashes: How Trauma-Informed Care Nurtures Healing in Rural America

Southwest Telehealth Resource Center Helps Rural Providers Connect

Strategies for Superbugs: Antibiotic Stewardship for Rural Hospitals

Community Health Workers Get Trained to Reduce Oral Health Disparities

Compassionate Collaboration Reduces Homelessness in Utah