North Carolina Resources

North Carolina Counties Designated Health Professional Shortage Areas
County-level map of Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina. Includes Primary Care, Mental/Behavioral Health, and Dental Care HPSAs.
Date: 06/2023
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Factors Associated with Lengths-of-Stay for Inpatients with Substance Use Disorders
Policy brief identifying factors associated with inpatient length-of-stay (LOS) for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUDs) and exploring whether there are systematic differences in LOS for rural and urban residents. Includes statistics on characteristics of stays for a primary SUD diagnosis in Kentucky, North Carolina, Vermont, and Washington in 2018, with breakdowns by Mental Health Professional Shortage Area and rural or urban location, and selected factors on LOS for an SUD diagnosis, with breakdowns by mental diagnoses, chronic conditions, and sociodemographic measures.
Author(s): Curt Mueller, Craig Holden, Shena Popat, Alana Knudson
Date: 04/2023
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Periodontal Health among Adults Seeking Dental Care in Rural North Carolina Communities: A Retrospective Study
Examines the prevalence of periodontitis in adults seen in dental clinics in rural North Carolina. Analyzes 10,544 electronic health records (EHRs) from 2011 to 2017 to observe periodontitis prevalence by age, race and ethnicity, tobacco use, diabetes diagnosis, and payer status. Discusses health disparities present in various sociodemographic groups.
Author(s): Alex Gillone, Acela A. Martinez Luna, Qiang Wu, et al.
Citation: Journal of Periodontology, 94(3), 364-375
Date: 03/2023
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The State of Healthcare in North Carolina: 2022 Impact Report
Examines contributions to the people and economy of North Carolina by the North Carolina Healthcare Association's 130 member hospitals and hospitals systems. Describes key issues facing North Carolina health systems, including access and innovation, workforce development and retention, health equity, and behavioral health. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2023
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Healthcare Association
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The Economic Contributions of North Carolina's Health Systems and Hospitals
Presents information for 137 hospital facilities in North Carolina, including number of jobs, wage income, total value added, taxes that result from health system and hospital operations, and community benefits such as reduced cost care. Features statistics including numbers of hospitals and beds, with breakdowns by rural, suburban, and urban areas.
Additional links: Two-Page Summary
Author(s): Sara Nienow, Rizwaan Lakhani, Michael Hogan, Chrystall Davis, Jared Woollacott,
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Healthcare Association
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Responding to One Rural Community's Primary Care Needs: Investing in Workforce and Broad Community Stakeholder Engagement
Commentary describing a model in which an academic health system in Rockingham County, North Carolina made targeted primary care investments to address rural health disparities while working to ensure sustainability within the health workforce. Examines challenges to improving rural health outcomes and offers suggestions for health systems seeking to replicate the Rockingham model.
Author(s): Sherry Hay, Emily M. Hawes, Alyssa Zamierowski, Stokes Ann Hunt, Cristen P. Page
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 83(6), 435-439
Date: 11/2022
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Determining Trends and Factors Associated with Self-Reported Physical Activity among Adolescents in Rural North Carolina
Uses data from a school-based wellness intervention to evaluate demographic, environmental, and school-level factors that may impact self-reported physical activity (PA) in 7th grade students in rural, eastern North Carolina during the 2018–2019 school year. Includes statistics on self-reported days of 60 min. PA per week with breakdowns by sex, race, and weight category.
Author(s): Sina Kazemzadeh, Chloe E. Opper, Xiangming, Suzanne Lazorick
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(18), 11417
Date: 09/2022
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County-Level Sociodemographic Factors Associated with COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality in North and South Carolina
Explores associations of county-level characteristics with COVID-19 outcomes within North Carolina and South Carolina during the first 7 months of the pandemic. Features statistics including incidence and mortality rates, with breakdowns by rural and nonrural areas.
Author(s): Nicole Kniep, Thelma Achidi, Christy Flynn, et al.
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 83(5), 366-374
Date: 09/2022
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Consumer Finances in Rural Appalachia
Describes the financial needs and challenges of consumers in rural Appalachia. Features sections on consumer finance profiles, including a section on medical debt, and consumer distress and delinquencies. Appendix A includes state-level statistics for the 13 Appalachian states, including percent of rural people with medical debt in the state.
Author(s): Matthew Liu, Cooper Luce, Michael Orevba, Shawn Sebastian, Cortnie Shupe
Date: 09/2022
Sponsoring organization: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
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Farm Dinner Theater: Farmers Helping Farmers
Video highlighting a Cooperative Extension-led program where community members take part in dinner theater productions that focus on issues related to farm health. Transcript available below description.
Date: 07/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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