South Carolina Rural Health Research Center

Current Projects

Adequacy of Home Health Care Availability in Rural Counties
This project will describe current distribution of HHC agencies, by Zip Code and county of facility location and of service provision, across levels of rurality. Second, the project will estimate whether rural populations at risk for inadequate access to HHC, based on projected population need population / provider ratios.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Aging, Home health

Analysis of State Dental Hygiene Practice Acts and Medicaid Policies for Children's Dental Care: Services Covered and Practitioners Reimbursed
The purpose of this qualitative analysis will be to obtain a clear picture of the degree to which (1) state SCHIP and Medicaid programs are implementing waivers, or other programs, to improve access to dental care for vulnerable populations including children and pregnant women; and (2) dental hygienists impact the dental safety net for rural America.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Children, Dental health, Health disparities, Maternal and child health, Medicaid and S-CHIP

Borderline Health: A Chartbook of U.S. Rural Health Indicators at the Mexico Border
This study will describe health issues, health behaviors, access to healthcare services and receipt of preventive services among Hispanic/Latino populations residing in the US part of the US-Mexico Border. Additionally, results will show rural-urban differences and comparisons with non-Hispanic/Latino populations in border states and in the rest of the US.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Border and international health, Hispanics, Minority health

Dental Sealant Utilization Among Rural and Urban Children
Dental sealants can prevent or reduce dental caries among children, but only about a third of children currently have sealants. This project will explore the dissemination of sealants among rural children, identifying characteristics of children and communities with low sealant use.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Children, Dental health

Dialysis Availability in Rural America
Working from Medicare Dialysis Compare files and the Standard Analysis File of the US Renal Data System, we will evaluate the current availability of dialysis services across rural America. We will examine general availability of services, service to population ratios, and patient outcome measures across levels of rurality.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Medicare

Intensity of Service Provision for Medicare Beneficiaries Utilizing Home Health Services
This study will assess whether Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas receive a lower intensity of home health (HH) services compared to their urban counterparts. Specifically, the study will examine (1) the distribution of levels of HH services for four conditions: joint (hip and knee) replacement, stroke, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and diabetes; (2) the distribution of type of provider for each condition across the levels of rurality; and (3) the median charge and payment per beneficiary for these services across the levels of rurality.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Home health, Medicare

Post-Hospital Transitions in Care Among Dually-Eligible Medicare Beneficiaries
This project will examine the hospitalization rates, post-discharge physician follow-up, and subsequent readmission rates among Medicare beneficiaries who are also enrolled in Medicaid. We will examine these dual-eligible beneficiaries by level of rurality to determine if residence is a significant factor in these rates. We will also control for co-morbidities, county characteristics, and other factors related to readmission rates.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health policy, Hospitals and clinics, Medicare

Racial and Rural Differences in Cervical Cancer Screening Practices
The purpose of this study is to describe and compare racial and rural differences in cervical cancer screening practices using data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The findings will inform policies to increase appropriate access to quality cancer-preventive services.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health promotion and disease prevention, Minority health, Women

Rural and Urban Differences in Case-Mix Among Recipients of Home Health Care
We will examine current patient case-mix for the Medicare population receiving skilled health care from a home health agency to determine if there are rural or race/ethnicity-based disparities with regards to receipt of services and clinical acuity indicators.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Health disparities, Home health, Medicare

Rural HIV: Estimated Prevalence of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Rural America
This study will describe the prevalence of HIV/AIDS by county, or when county-level data are not available, by sub-state region or state, together with information on the availability of health services, including Ryan White Clinics. A sub-study will develop models identifying rural counties at highest risk for increases in the population of PLWHA.
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: AIDS and HIV, Chronic diseases and conditions

Topics Centers Researchers Other Resources Search		South Carolina Rural Health Research Center Current Projects Adequacy of Home Health Care Availability in Rural Counties This project will describe current distribution of HHC agencies, by Zip Code and county of facility location and of service provision, across levels of rurality. Second, the project will estimate whether rural populations at risk for inadequate access to HHC, based on projected population need population / provider ratios. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Aging, Home health Analysis of State Dental Hygiene Practice Acts and Medicaid Policies for Children's Dental Care: Services Covered and Practitioners Reimbursed The purpose of this qualitative analysis will be to obtain a clear picture of the degree to which (1) state SCHIP and Medicaid programs are implementing waivers, or other programs, to improve access to dental care for vulnerable populations including children and pregnant women; and (2) dental hygienists impact the dental safety net for rural America. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Children, Dental health, Health disparities, Maternal and child health, Medicaid and S-CHIP Borderline Health: A Chartbook of U.S. Rural Health Indicators at the Mexico Border This study will describe health issues, health behaviors, access to healthcare services and receipt of preventive services among Hispanic/Latino populations residing in the US part of the US-Mexico Border. Additionally, results will show rural-urban differences and comparisons with non-Hispanic/Latino populations in border states and in the rest of the US. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Border and international health, Hispanics, Minority health Dental Sealant Utilization Among Rural and Urban Children Dental sealants can prevent or reduce dental caries among children, but only about a third of children currently have sealants. This project will explore the dissemination of sealants among rural children, identifying characteristics of children and communities with low sealant use. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Children, Dental health Dialysis Availability in Rural America Working from Medicare Dialysis Compare files and the Standard Analysis File of the US Renal Data System, we will evaluate the current availability of dialysis services across rural America. We will examine general availability of services, service to population ratios, and patient outcome measures across levels of rurality. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Medicare Intensity of Service Provision for Medicare Beneficiaries Utilizing Home Health Services This study will assess whether Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas receive a lower intensity of home health (HH) services compared to their urban counterparts. Specifically, the study will examine (1) the distribution of levels of HH services for four conditions: joint (hip and knee) replacement, stroke, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and diabetes; (2) the distribution of type of provider for each condition across the levels of rurality; and (3) the median charge and payment per beneficiary for these services across the levels of rurality. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Home health, Medicare Post-Hospital Transitions in Care Among Dually-Eligible Medicare Beneficiaries This project will examine the hospitalization rates, post-discharge physician follow-up, and subsequent readmission rates among Medicare beneficiaries who are also enrolled in Medicaid. We will examine these dual-eligible beneficiaries by level of rurality to determine if residence is a significant factor in these rates. We will also control for co-morbidities, county characteristics, and other factors related to readmission rates. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health policy, Hospitals and clinics, Medicare Racial and Rural Differences in Cervical Cancer Screening Practices The purpose of this study is to describe and compare racial and rural differences in cervical cancer screening practices using data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. The findings will inform policies to increase appropriate access to quality cancer-preventive services. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health promotion and disease prevention, Minority health, Women Rural and Urban Differences in Case-Mix Among Recipients of Home Health Care We will examine current patient case-mix for the Medicare population receiving skilled health care from a home health agency to determine if there are rural or race/ethnicity-based disparities with regards to receipt of services and clinical acuity indicators. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Health disparities, Home health, Medicare Rural HIV: Estimated Prevalence of Persons Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Rural America This study will describe the prevalence of HIV/AIDS by county, or when county-level data are not available, by sub-state region or state, together with information on the availability of health services, including Ryan White Clinics. A sub-study will develop models identifying rural counties at highest risk for increases in the population of PLWHA. Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: AIDS and HIV, Chronic diseases and conditions