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Rural Health Information Hub

Indiana Resources

The State of the Rural Economy in Indiana
Provides an overview of the rural economy in Indiana and includes data on issues such as population, employment and income, education, housing, agriculture, transportation, broadband, immigration, quality of life, and more. Provides county-level economic and demographic data as well as rural versus urban comparisons. Features information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Author(s): Srikant Devaraj, Dagney Faulk, Michael Hicks, et al.
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organizations: Ball State University, Center for Business and Economic Research
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Indiana Governor's Public Health Commission Report 2022
Provides an overview of public health in Indiana with a focus on healthy environments and health education. Examines the declining life expectancy and challenges to public health such as behavioral health issues, adult and child obesity, infectious diseases, and geographic and socio-economic health disparities. Summarizes and provides recommendations from the commission's findings related to governance and infrastructure, funding, healthcare workforce, data integration, emergency preparedness, and child/adolescent health.
Additional links: Appendices, News Brief
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Department of Health
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Longitudinal Assessment of Indiana Dentists' Participation in Medicaid Before and After Expansion
Examines trends related to dentists in Indiana who provided services to Medicaid patients before and after Medicaid expansion, from 2014 through 2017. Analyzes 2,037 Indiana-licensed dentists by Medicaid engagement status, practice type and setting, job status, and demographic characteristics, including rurality.
Author(s): Hannah L. Maxey, Sierra X. Vaughn, Courtney R. Medlock, Analise Dickinson, Yumin Wang
Citation: Journal of the American Dental Association, 153(7), 659-667
Date: 07/2022
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Identifying Unique Barriers to Implementing Rural Emergency Department-Based Peer Services for Opioid Use Disorder Through Qualitative Comparison with Urban Sites
Study examining the implementation of emergency department-based interventions for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural and urban areas based on interviews with programs in Indiana's Recovery Coach and Peer Support Initiative. Describes barriers to implementation for rural programs, including issues related to intervention characteristics, logistical challenges, and staffing issues.
Author(s): Dennis P. Watson, Monte D. Staton, Nicole Gastala
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 17, 41
Date: 07/2022
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"Hard to Say Goodbye Over iPad": Experiences of Palliative Care Providers and Lessons Learned During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Communities of Indiana, United States
Explores healthcare professionals' perspectives about the challenges and barriers to providing palliative care in rural Indiana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presents findings from interviews with 15 providers on restricted visitation, communication barriers, provider distress, and hospice services and referrals.
Author(s): Nasreen Lalani, Yun Cai, Yitong Wang
Citation: Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 24(3), E94-E100
Date: 03/2022
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Indiana State Health Assessment and Improvement Plan: 2022-2026
Provides an overview of the current health and quality of life of Indiana residents, factors that influence health, and strategies and goals for improving health through 2026. Includes information on social determinants of health, county health rankings, demographic and COVID-19 data by preparedness district, and more.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Department of Health
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An Assessment of Indiana's Maternity Care Workforce: 2022 Report
Reports on the overall supply and geographic distribution of the maternity care workforce in Indiana including physicians and various types of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Includes county-level data and maps of maternity care practice settings with indicators for metro and nonmetro counties.
Date: 2022
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Navigating Food Insecurity as a Rural Older Adult: The Importance of Congregate Meal Sites, Social Networks and Transportation Services
Explores food insecurity as experienced by older adults in rural Indiana. Provides maps showing places to access food in southern Indiana as well as demographic information of interviewees compared to national averages, such as income, race and ethnicity, presence of disability, and more. Discusses issues such as transportation, living alone, and closure of congregate meal sites.
Author(s): Julia C.D. Valliant, Mecca E. Burris, Kamila Czebotar, et al.
Citation: Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 17(5), 593-614
Date: 10/2021
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State Cross-Agency Collaboration During the COVID-19 Pandemic Response
Examines cross-agency approaches to COVID-19 response efforts in Illinois, Indiana, and Rhode Island. Identifies key themes, lessons, and best practices for other states to consider when preparing for future public health emergencies. Highlights efforts to serve rural populations.
Author(s): Elinor Higgins, Rebecca Cooper
Date: 10/2021
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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A Holistic Approach to Maternal Health in Rural Indiana
Discusses the Healthy Start Communities that C.A.R.E. (HSCC) program that utilizes family nurse practitioners (FNPs) and a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) to serve women in 4 rural counties in Indiana. Provides commentary on the program, such as reducing access barriers, utilizing bilingual healthcare practitioners, providing mental health support and trauma-informed care, and more. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Heather M. Grable, Joanah Wischmeier, Kasia Jayjack
Date: 09/2021
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Additional resources are available. See a full list of Indiana Resources.