Policy-relevant research publications from the Rural Health Research and Policy Centers, funded by the federal Office on Rural Health Policy Copyright 2013 Rural Health Research Gateway http://www.ruralhealthresearch.org/ Policy brief discussing current rural Medicare Advantage enrollment data. 04 / 2013 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2013/2012%20MA%20update.pdf 2013-05-15 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2013/2012%20MA%20update.pdf Examines Medicare Part D enrollment rates in rural and urban areas and the resulting impact on rural beneficiaries' overall prescription drug coverage rates. 05 / 2013 http://rhrc.umn.edu/2013/05/partd/ 2013-05-14 http://rhrc.umn.edu/2013/05/partd/ Examines differences in receipt of cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination associated with residence and race/ethnicity. 05 / 2013 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2810-2%29FullReport.pdf 2013-05-13 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2810-2%29FullReport.pdf Presents a summary of the geographic distribution and clinic-level characteristics of rural health clinics, as well as an overview of the Medicare beneficiaries they served. 03 / 2013 http://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/research_programs/rural_program/pubs/finding_brief/FB108.pdf 2013-04-03 http://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/research_programs/rural_program/pubs/finding_brief/FB108.pdf This report analyzes how five characteristics of health insurance exchanges might address particular rural concerns. 02 / 2013 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policypapers/State%20Health%20Insurance%20Exchanges%20-%20Rural%20Implications.pdf 2013-03-27 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policypapers/State%20Health%20Insurance%20Exchanges%20-%20Rural%20Implications.pdf Examines the proportion of rural children who have received dental sealants applied to the surface of their teeth to prevent or delay the development of dental decay. 03 / 2013 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/(9-2)%20Dental%20Sealant%20Utilization%20Among%20Rural%20and%20Urban%20Children%20full.pdf 2013-03-26 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/(9-2)%20Dental%20Sealant%20Utilization%20Among%20Rural%20and%20Urban%20Children%20full.pdf Locates agricultural health programs and courses and describes collaborations that exist between clinicians and agriculture-related agencies. 02 / 2013 http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/wvrhrc/projects/2012/agmedicine/WVRHRC%20Ag%20Health%20Training%20Final%20Report.pdf 2013-03-14 http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/wvrhrc/projects/2012/agmedicine/WVRHRC%20Ag%20Health%20Training%20Final%20Report.pdf Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollment continued to grow and premiums continued to decline in 2012 despite reductions in payment to the plans as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. Rural MA enrollees face higher premiums than their urban counterparts, and the average premium for rural MA beneficiaries fell to $48 per month in 2012 as compared to $52 per month in 2011. Analysis of the zero premiums by plan in relationship to the plans charging a premium gives additional insights into the MA marketplace as faced by rural enrollees. Zero premium plans are less available in rural areas and are selected less often when they are available, which is a potential source of inequity between rural and urban areas. 02 / 2013 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2013/2012%20MA%20Enrollment.pdf 2013-03-01 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2013/2012%20MA%20Enrollment.pdf Explores the availability of dialysis services in rural America including the prevalence of dialysis use across urban and rural counties, travel distance for services, and dialysis quality outcomes. 01 / 2013 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2811-3%29Dialysis%20Availability%20in%20Rural%20America.pdf 2013-02-15 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2811-3%29Dialysis%20Availability%20in%20Rural%20America.pdf Documents the closure of local retail pharmacies in which the pharmacist was the only clinical provider available in the community at the time the pharmacy closed, describing characteristics about the communities and retail pharmacies in question. 01 / 2013 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2013/Pharmacist%20Loss%20Brief%20022813.pdf 2013-02-14 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2013/Pharmacist%20Loss%20Brief%20022813.pdf Examines the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in rural counties across 28 states in 2008 and the rural-versus-urban distribution of Ryan White providers. 01 / 2013 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2811-1%29HIV%20AIDS%20in%20Rural%20America.pdf 2013-02-11 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2811-1%29HIV%20AIDS%20in%20Rural%20America.pdf Describes the proportion of the population affected by HIV/AIDS. 01 / 2013 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2811-1%29Fact%20Sheet%20HIV%20AIDS%20in%20Rural%20America.pdf 2013-02-11 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2811-1%29Fact%20Sheet%20HIV%20AIDS%20in%20Rural%20America.pdf Examines potential geographic and ethnic disparities among United States border residents and describes select indicators related to access to care, women's preventive services, oral health, infectious and communicable diseases and mental health that have been identified as disparities. 01 / 2013 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2810-1%29Rural_border_health_chartbook.pdf 2013-01-16 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/%2810-1%29Rural_border_health_chartbook.pdf Using data extracted from 2009 Medicare outpatient provider claims, this brief presents a summary profile of Medicare billing and reimbursement activity for independent and provider-based RHCs. 12 / 2012 http://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/research_programs/rural_program/pubs/finding_brief/FB107.pdf 2013-01-07 http://www.shepscenter.unc.edu/research_programs/rural_program/pubs/finding_brief/FB107.pdf Describes where community college allied health education programs (of those most relevant to rural health care delivery) are located in relation to rural populations and small rural hospitals. 10 / 2012 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR136_Skillman_PB.pdf 2012-12-12 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR136_Skillman_PB.pdf Community colleges educate a significant portionof the nations allied health workforce (includingHealth Information/Medical Records Technicians,Surgical Technologists, and Dental Assistants, toname a few), and because they have a history ofeducating residents of their communities for localjobs, are important to the economies of many ruralcommunities. 10 / 2012 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR136_Skillman.pdf 2012-12-12 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR136_Skillman.pdf Explores factors associated with registered nurses' decisions to commute away from their rural areas of residence for work. 09 / 2012 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR133_Skillman.pdf 2012-12-10 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR133_Skillman.pdf Explores why many registered nurses (RNs) living in rural areas of the United States leave their communities to work in other rural and urban communities. 09 / 2012 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR133_Skillman_PB.pdf 2012-12-10 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_FR133_Skillman_PB.pdf Provides a descriptive analysis of the respiratory health status of persons exposed to asbestos. 2012 http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/6/e001552.full 2012-11-28 http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/2/6/e001552.full Outlines and describes the current Medicaid program and its importance to rural America. Also discusses rural implications of program expansion, including whether and how states choose to implement changes. 09 / 2012 http://www.rupri.org/Forms/HealthPanel_Medicaid_Sept2012.pdf 2012-11-28 http://www.rupri.org/Forms/HealthPanel_Medicaid_Sept2012.pdf Examines whether rural patients with cancer are less likely than urban patients with cancer to receive recommended radiation therapy and identifies factors influencing rural versus urban differences in radiation therapy receipt. 10 / 2012 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_RadPro_Baldwin.pdf 2012-10-16 http://depts.washington.edu/uwrhrc/uploads/RHRC_RadPro_Baldwin.pdf Reports that as of May 2011, 59.1% of rural Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in Medicare Part D through insurance plans that provide coverage for prescription medications. Provides further detail of enrollment, including urban and rural enrollment by type of plan and by state. 09 / 2012 http://cph.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policypapers/Part%20D%20Stand-Alone%20FINAL.pdf 2012-09-17 http://cph.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policypapers/Part%20D%20Stand-Alone%20FINAL.pdf Examines potential geographic and ethnic disparities among U.S. border residents and describes select indicators related to access to care, women's preventive services, oral health, infectious and communicable diseases and mental health that have been identified as disparities. 01 / 2013 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/SCRHRC%20Rural%20Border%20Health.pdf 2012-09-13 http://rhr.sph.sc.edu/report/SCRHRC%20Rural%20Border%20Health.pdf Assesses the use of composite scores for public reporting of quality measures as one way of addressing the low volume issue for small rural hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals. 07 / 2012 http://rhrc.umn.edu/wp-content/files_mf/quality_reporting_pb_july2012.pdf 2012-08-10 http://rhrc.umn.edu/wp-content/files_mf/quality_reporting_pb_july2012.pdf Focuses on rural pharmacy closures and the potential threat such closures present to access to local pharmacy services in a community. 07 / 2012 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2012/Updated%202012%20Independently%20Owned%20Pharm%20Closures%20071912.pdf 2012-07-24 http://www.public-health.uiowa.edu/rupri/publications/policybriefs/2012/Updated%202012%20Independently%20Owned%20Pharm%20Closures%20071912.pdf Examines how asthma may be related to rural areas adjacent or non-adjacent to larger population centers, to variation in measures of air quality, to varying levels of agricultural and animal production, and to other characteristics such as obesity, race/ethnicity, or health insurance. 06 / 2012 http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/wvrhrc/docs/2011_asthma_policy_brief.pdf 2012-07-03 http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/wvrhrc/docs/2011_asthma_policy_brief.pdf Examines how asthma may be related to rural areas adjacent or non-adjacent to larger population centers, to variation in measures of air quality, to varying levels of agricultural and animal production, and to other characteristics such as obesity, race/ethnicity, or health insurance. 05 / 2012 http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/wvrhrc/docs/2011_asthma_final_report.pdf 2012-06-20 http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/wvrhrc/docs/2011_asthma_final_report.pdf Rural adolescent alcohol use is a complex social problem. Using data from the 2008-2009 National Survey of Drug Use and Health, this study by the Maine Rural Health Research Center examines alcohol use among rural and urban adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17. After controlling for a broad range of key risk and protective factors, it is clear that an unexplained rural effect persists with rural adolescents still exhibiting higher alcohol use than their urban counterparts. Our findings suggest that rural adolescents who start drinking at an earlier age are more likely to engage in problem drinking behavior as they get older, leading to a need for interventions that target pre-teens and younger adolescents. Moreover, we found urban-rural differences in specific protective factors, which may be the most promising for evidence-based, rural-specific prevention strategies targeting parents, schools, and churches. 03 / 2012 http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/Publications/WP48_Adolescent-Alcohol-Use-Rural-Urban.pdf 2012-06-14 http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/Publications/WP48_Adolescent-Alcohol-Use-Rural-Urban.pdf After controlling for a broad range of key risk and protective factors, it is clear that an unexplained rural effect persists with rural adolescents still exhibiting higher alcohol use than their urban counterparts 03 / 2012 http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/Publications/PB48_Adolescent-Alcohol-Use-Rural-Urban.pdf 2012-06-14 http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/Publications/PB48_Adolescent-Alcohol-Use-Rural-Urban.pdf Describes a future rural system that would be built on foundations of affordability, accessibility, community focus, high quality, and patient centeredness. 09 / 2011 http://www.rupri.org/Forms/HealthPanel_FutureSystem_October2011.pdf 2012-06-12 http://www.rupri.org/Forms/HealthPanel_FutureSystem_October2011.pdf