West Virginia Resources

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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Training Rural to Serve Rural: Baccalaureate-MD Programs and Their Rural Results
Features combined baccalaureate/medical degree programs in New Mexico and West Virginia. Discusses how this educational approach can help address the need for rural primary care physicians. Describes student recruitment, program structure, and how the programs are funded.
Author(s): Kay Miller Temple
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 08/2022
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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The Appalachia Mind Health Initiative (AMHI): A Pragmatic Randomized Clinical Trial of Adjunctive Internet-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Treating Major Depressive Disorder among Primary Care Patients
Describes a planned study to evaluate a trial program to address major depressive disorder (MDD) among 3,360 enrolled patients across West Virginia through internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Discusses the need for MDD care in rural states and offers an overview of the study's design and methodology.
Author(s): Robert M. Bossarte, Ronald C. Kessler, Andrew A. Nierenberg, et al.
Citation: Trials, 23, 520
Date: 06/2022
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Telemedicine Versus In-Person Primary Care: Impact on Visit Completion Rate in a Rural Appalachian Population
Explores telemedicine use in a primary care clinic in rural West Virginia and its impact on patient access and visit completion rates. Examines visit completion rates of 110,999 patients from January 2019 to November 2020, with patient data broken down by sex, age, marital status, and distance in miles from facility.
Author(s): Treah Haggerty, Heather M. Stephens, Shaylee A. Peckens, et al.
Citation: The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 35(3), 475-484
Date: 05/2022
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A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial for a Multi-Level, Clinic-Based Smoking Cessation Program with Women in Appalachian Communities: Study Protocol for the "Break Free" Program
Results of a study to increase smoking cessation among women living in rural Appalachia, by embedding a smoking cessation program within a larger cervical cancer prevention program. Uses data from focus groups comprising 510 women from West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Virginia.
Author(s): Joanne G. Patterson, Tia N. Borger, Jessica L. Burris, et al.
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 17(11)
Date: 02/2022
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Longitudinal Assessment of a Dental and Medical Student Service Program in Appalachia: Successes and Lessons Learned
Results of a study exploring a West Virginia University Institute for Community and Rural Health service scholarship program implemented in 2011 to address a lack of dental and primary care in rural and underserved areas. Features statistics including program participant characteristics, with breakdowns by rural or urban background, and practice site characteristics for participants with fulfilled program status, with breakdowns by rural or underserved location.
Author(s): April Vestal, Fotinos Panagakos, Treah Haggerty, Ashley Brianna Sheppard
Citation: Journal of Public Health Dentistry, 82(1), 113-117
Date: 01/2022
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Strict Entry Procedures at St. Joseph's Hospital of Buckhannon in W.Va.
Case study discussing the efforts of St. Joseph's Hospital, a Critical Access Hospital in Buckhannon, West Virginia, to strengthen its security presence and safety controls. Describes the implementation of a workplace violence training program for staff and security officers.
Date: 01/2022
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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ICU Mortality in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection: Highlighting Healthcare Disparities in Rural Appalachia
Study examining 30-day COVID-19 mortality among ICU patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome transferred from rural Appalachian hospitals to West Virginia University Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia between September 30, 2020 and December 1, 2020. Examines baseline patient demographics, comorbidities, and clinical outcomes, comparing patients transferred from Critical Access Hospitals and other rural facilities to non-COVID-19 ICU patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Author(s): Sunil Sharma, Varun Badami, Edward Rojas, et al.
Citation: Critical Care Explorations, 3(10), e547
Date: 10/2021
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West Virginia Primary Care Provider Shortage Areas, Certified Clinic Locations, and Blood Pressure Medication Nonadherence
County-level map showing locations of West Virginia Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Date: 07/2021
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Division of Primary Care
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Disparities in Amputation in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease
Examines health disparities related to amputation and the management of peripheral arterial disease. Discusses intersecting factors impacting the need for amputation, such as race/ethnicity, geography, and more. Includes county- and ZIP code-level state maps of West Virginia that show 2011-2016 risk estimates for amputation in patients with diabetes and/or peripheral arterial disease.
Author(s): Katharine L. McGinigle, Samantha D. Minc
Citation: Surgery,169(6), 1290-1294
Date: 06/2021
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