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Transportation to Support Rural Healthcare – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Transportation to Support Rural Healthcare.

Veteran Mobility and COVID-19
Examines veterans living in rural areas and how their mobility options, cost of transportation, use of telehealth, access to healthy food, and social isolation have been impacted by COVID-19. Discusses issues and policies related to improving healthcare transportation and access to Veterans Administration (VA) services for rural veterans. Includes data on veteran demographics and survey responses to health- and transportation-related questions.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Video Summary
Author(s): Del Peterson, Jill Hough, Antonio Molina
Date: 05/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: North Dakota State University, Small Urban and Rural Center on Mobility, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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Travel Burden for Healthcare among Rural Populations with Marvellous Akinlotan and Alva Ferdinand
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Dr. Alva Ferdinand, director of the Southwest Rural Health Research Center (SRHRC), and Dr. Marvellous Akinlotan, research assistant professor at the SRHRC. Discusses travel burdens rural residents face when seeking healthcare.
Date: 05/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Partnering for Rural Transportation with Alisa Druzba and Steve Workman
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Alisa Druzba and Steve Workman. Describes the development of the New Hampshire Mobility Management Network and how it provides options for rural residents. Focuses on the role of collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies in supporting long-term sustainability for transportation services.
Date: 04/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Tribal Transportation: Issues and Successful Models
Discusses issues related to transportation in tribal areas and how lack of transportation options causes forgone medical care, community disengagement, and employment difficulties. Provides information on tribal sovereignty, funding, coordination, and economic development as related to transportation systems. Includes case studies of successful transit programs in tribal areas.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Transit Assistance Program
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Intraregional Tribal Transportation Strategy
Report highlights a strategy for connecting rural tribal lands with access to transit in the San Diego region of California. Details the project's collaboration with local transit agencies and tribal governments.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organizations: San Diego Association of Governments, Southern California Tribal Chairman's Association
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Public Transportation's Role in Rural Healthcare Access with Carol Wright Kenderdine
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carol Wright Kenderdine. Discusses transportation needs and challenges faced by rural older adults and people with disabilities. Explains the role of rural public transit agencies, national resources available to support transit, and how COVID-19 has spurred innovation in rural transportation.
Date: 03/2022
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Travel Behavior of Transportation-Disadvantaged Populations: Trends and Geographic Disparities
Analyzes travel behavior and mobility of the elderly, people with disabilities, low-income households, and those living in rural areas. Utilizes data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) to analyze driving behaviors, transportation modes, trip purpose, and use of smartphones, with information broken down by demographic variables, including urban, suburban, second city, small town, or rural location.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Antonio Molina
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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2021 FTA Section 5310 Compendium
Provides an overview of the Section 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities program, which is designed to support the specialized transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities. Discusses the role of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) using Section 5310 funding to develop and manage accessible transportation programs. Includes case studies and examples of how AAAs used Section 5310 funding, including programs serving rural residents.
Date: 02/2022
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Aging and Disability Transportation Center
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Livable Communities: Transit Services and Infrastructure that Promote Livability
Discusses the characteristics of a livable community, offers examples to improve transportation services, and suggests ways to implement a successful livability initiative in rural contexts.
Date: 11/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Transit Assistance Program
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Going to the Doctor: Rideshare as Nonemergency Medical Transportation
Discusses the role of rideshare-based non-emergency medical transportation (RB-NEMT) in serving the transportation needs across the country, including in rural areas. Details the different types of RB-NEMT services, such as door-to-door, curb-to-curb, hand-to-hand, and area-to-area. Breaks down the different groups that benefit from RB-NEMT by transportation limitations, age, and insurance type, among other factors. Discusses RB-NEMT's efficacy for rural areas, medical and logistical barriers, and makes policy recommendations.
Date: 10/2021
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Last Updated: 5/6/2024