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Rural Health Information Hub

Kentucky Resources

Disasters and Impacts in Appalachian Kentucky: A Behavioral Health Analysis
Reports on disasters in 8 rural southeast Kentucky counties in 2021-2022, the changing nature of the disasters, and the behavioral health impact on the residents affected. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by disaster type and impact.
Author(s): Walter David Mathews, Joseph M. Clark, Amy S. Potts
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(1), 132–147
Date: 05/2024
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Providing Employment Services to Individuals in Recovery: Lessons from Addiction Recovery Care
Explores a substance use disorder (SUD) recovery program in rural Appalachian Kentucky that pairs the residential clinic with employment services. Details the phases and strategies of the recovery program: stabilization, recovery and life skills, taking action, and job skills and education. Discusses the demographic profile of those in recovery and the impact of providing occupational training during treatment.
Author(s): Robin Koralek, Hannah Engle, Chelsea Jackson, Hannah Pico
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: Administration for Children and Families
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Enduring Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Access, Nutrition, and Well-Being in Rural Appalachia
Examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on a rural, Appalachian community in Kentucky. Utilizes focus group data from 39 participants to analyze ongoing issues such as social isolation, cost of living, and food access. Discusses how these issues affect mental health, access to needed medications, and ability to purchase nutritious food.
Author(s): Kathryn M. Cardarelli, Emily DeWitt, Rachel Gillespie, Nathan Bandy, Heather Norman-Burgdolf
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(5), 594
Date: 05/2024
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Health Wanted: Finding Care in Rural America
Series of videos highlighting challenges with access to quality healthcare for rural Americans. Discusses healthcare access in remote locations, food insecurity and farming practices, transportation, wellness initiatives, and chronic health conditions in 5 states. Transcript available in video description.
Date: 05/2024
Sponsoring organization: American Heart Association
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Trilogies: Lessons from 50 Years Facilitating Community-Based Health Assessments and Planning in Appalachia
Presents case studies from rural Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia, in which community input was used to encourage organizational change and collaboration when formulating community-based health assessments. Offers tried-and-tested techniques that may help organizations meet their goals.
Author(s): Bruce Behringer
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(1):148–162
Date: 04/2024
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Factors Associated With Myocardial Infarction in a Rural Population With Peripheral Arterial Diseases
Examines the association between sociodemographic and clinical risk factors and myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with peripheral arterial diseases (PAD) in Central Appalachia. Uses data from 5,574 patients in 230 counties across Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Features statistics on characteristics of patients with PAD based on presence or absence of MI.
Author(s): Adeola O. Awujoola, Moboni T. Mokikan, Olufeyisayo O. Odebunmi, et al.
Citation: Angiology, 0(0)
Date: 02/2024
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Kentucky Medical Laboratory Science Workforce Report 2024
Offers definitions of different types of medical laboratory science occupations, and features projected supply and demand in Kentucky and average salaries. Includes a section on the Medical Laboratory Science program offered at the University of Kentucky's Hazard campus, in rural eastern Kentucky.
Author(s): Frances J. Feltner, Caleb K. Williams, William Mace Baker
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health
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Kentucky Physical Therapy Workforce Report
Describes the Kentucky physical therapy workforce, using data from the Kentucky Board of Physical Therapy and the University of Kentucky Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program. Features statistics on wages, type of workplace, people per provider ratios by county, and percent of Kentucky DPT graduates and distribution of physical therapists, with breakdowns by rural, urban, Appalachian, and Delta regions.
Author(s): Frances Feltner, Caleb K. Williams, Sierra Williams
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health
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Introducing K-DATA: Kentucky - Demographics, Analytics, Trends and Access (K-DATA)
Reports on health and population in Kentucky. Includes coverage of state demographics, social determinants of health, healthcare workforce supply and distribution, Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), access to care, facilities, public health programs, nutrition, youth, people with disabilities, substance use disorder, cancer, diabetes, and characteristics of Kentucky's rural, urban, Delta, and Appalachian regions.
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health
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2023 Kentucky Nursing Workforce Report
Reports on Registered Nurses and Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) licensed in Kentucky in 2023. Includes breakdowns by urban and rural location and provides county-by-county APRN to population ratios. Discusses challenges related to nursing workforce distribution.
Author(s): Sierra Williams, Frances Feltner, Sydney P. Howard
Date: 2024
Sponsoring organization: Center for Economic Analysis of Rural Health
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Additional resources are available. See a full list of Kentucky Resources.


Last Updated: 12/23/2025