Alana Knudson , PhD

Deputy Director, North Dakota and NORC Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center

NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis

Completed Projects (2)
Publications (7)

Completed Projects (2)

Hospitalizations of Rural Children for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions
Research center: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Children, Chronic diseases and conditions
This project uses state inpatient discharge data from six states, data from the Area Resource File and the AHRQ Pediatric Quality Indicators to examine Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition admission rates for rural children.

Impact of Health Insurance Coverage on Native Elder Health: Implications for Addressing the Health Care Needs of Rural American Indian Elders
Research center: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center
Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP)
Topics: Aging, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Frontier health, Health insurance and the uninsured, Minority health, Rural statistics and demographics
This project examined the types of health insurance coverage of rural Native American elders ages 55 and older, and examine how different types of health insurance coverage and lack of health insurance coverage impact access to health care services among Native American elders by geographic location (rural frontier, rural non-frontier and urban).

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Publications (7)

Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition Hospitalizations Among Rural Children
Date: 02/2007
Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) are conditions for which inpatient hospital admissions could potentially be avoided through better outpatient care. Using hospital inpatient discharge data from six states, this study examined the relationships between children's inpatient hospitalizations for ACSCs, rural residence, poverty, health insurance, and physician supply. Admission rates for five conditions were examined: asthma, diabetes short-term complications, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection and perforated appendix. Hospitalization rates for four of the five conditions are significantly higher for children living in rural areas than in urban areas. Condition-specific ACSC hospitalization rates for children also vary significantly across states, even after adjusting for rurality, poverty, uninsurance, and physician supply.
Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition Hospitalizations Among Rural Children (Brief)
Date: 06/2007
Reports results from a study examining children's inpatient hospitalizations for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs), rural residence, poverty, health insurance, and physician supply. Admission rates for five conditions were examined: asthma, diabetes short-term complications, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection and perforated appendix.
Chronic Disease in American Indian/Alaska Native Elders
Date: 2005
Describes the prevalence of chronic diseases among Native American elders.
Geographic Differences in Potentially Preventable Readmission Rates in Rural and Urban Hospitals (Final Report)
Date: 11/2010
Potentially preventable hospital readmissions (PPRs) among Medicare patients are examples of inefficiencies in the health care system. Policymakers are considering efforts to measure and publicly report preventable readmission rates and target hospitals with high rates for improvement by means of payment policy and technical assistance. To help inform the policy debate about readmissions of rural patients, this study estimated PPRs in three types of acute care hospitals: urban prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, rural PPS hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs).
Impact of Health Insurance Coverage on Native Elder Health: Implications for Addressing the Health Care Needs of Rural Native American Elders
Date: 10/2007
Examines health insurance coverage and access to health care among American Indian and Alaska Native elders (Native elders) -- defined as 55 years or older. Young elders, 55 to 64 years of age, are most likely to be uninsured with one-third reporting having no insurance, while 15% of older elders, 65 years of age and over, report they are uninsured. Uninsured Native elders are about twice as likely as insured Native elders to indicate they have no regular provider. In addition, one out of 10 Native elders report they were not able to get care when they needed it during the preceding 12 months. Reasons cited for not getting health care when it was needed included long waiting times, transportation problems, and cost. The authors conclude it is essential to develop policies that address the financial, geographical, and cultural aspects that negatively impact access to culturally appropriate healthcare. Full report available on request by contacting wopsahl@medicine.nodak.edu.
Implementation of Telepharmacy in Rural Hospitals: Potential for Improving Medication Safety (Final Report)
Date: 12/2008
Findings from this report describe successful telepharmacy activities being implemented in rural hospitals and analyze policy issues related to the implementation of telepharmacy projects in rural hospitals.
Prevalence of Chronic Disease Among American Indian and Alaska Native Elders
Date: 10/2005
Examines chronic disease prevalence and functional limitations among American Indian/Alaska Natives by rurality, gender, age, health care access, and health behaviors. Includes policy recommendations.

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Home Topics Centers Researchers Research Alerts Other Resources Search		Alana Knudson , PhD Deputy Director, North Dakota and NORC Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center E-mail: knudson-alana@norc.org NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis Completed Projects (2) Publications (7) Completed Projects (2) Hospitalizations of Rural Children for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions Research center: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Children, Chronic diseases and conditions This project uses state inpatient discharge data from six states, data from the Area Resource File and the AHRQ Pediatric Quality Indicators to examine Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition admission rates for rural children. Impact of Health Insurance Coverage on Native Elder Health: Implications for Addressing the Health Care Needs of Rural American Indian Elders Research center: Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center Funder: Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) Topics: Aging, American Indians and Alaska Natives, Frontier health, Health insurance and the uninsured, Minority health, Rural statistics and demographics This project examined the types of health insurance coverage of rural Native American elders ages 55 and older, and examine how different types of health insurance coverage and lack of health insurance coverage impact access to health care services among Native American elders by geographic location (rural frontier, rural non-frontier and urban). [ back to top ] Publications (7) Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition Hospitalizations Among Rural Children Date: 02/2007 Ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) are conditions for which inpatient hospital admissions could potentially be avoided through better outpatient care. Using hospital inpatient discharge data from six states, this study examined the relationships between children's inpatient hospitalizations for ACSCs, rural residence, poverty, health insurance, and physician supply. Admission rates for five conditions were examined: asthma, diabetes short-term complications, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection and perforated appendix. Hospitalization rates for four of the five conditions are significantly higher for children living in rural areas than in urban areas. Condition-specific ACSC hospitalization rates for children also vary significantly across states, even after adjusting for rurality, poverty, uninsurance, and physician supply. Ambulatory Care Sensitive Condition Hospitalizations Among Rural Children (Brief) Date: 06/2007 Reports results from a study examining children's inpatient hospitalizations for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs), rural residence, poverty, health insurance, and physician supply. Admission rates for five conditions were examined: asthma, diabetes short-term complications, gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection and perforated appendix. Chronic Disease in American Indian/Alaska Native Elders Date: 2005 Describes the prevalence of chronic diseases among Native American elders. Geographic Differences in Potentially Preventable Readmission Rates in Rural and Urban Hospitals (Final Report) Date: 11/2010 Potentially preventable hospital readmissions (PPRs) among Medicare patients are examples of inefficiencies in the health care system. Policymakers are considering efforts to measure and publicly report preventable readmission rates and target hospitals with high rates for improvement by means of payment policy and technical assistance. To help inform the policy debate about readmissions of rural patients, this study estimated PPRs in three types of acute care hospitals: urban prospective payment system (PPS) hospitals, rural PPS hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs). Impact of Health Insurance Coverage on Native Elder Health: Implications for Addressing the Health Care Needs of Rural Native American Elders Date: 10/2007 Examines health insurance coverage and access to health care among American Indian and Alaska Native elders (Native elders) -- defined as 55 years or older. Young elders, 55 to 64 years of age, are most likely to be uninsured with one-third reporting having no insurance, while 15% of older elders, 65 years of age and over, report they are uninsured. Uninsured Native elders are about twice as likely as insured Native elders to indicate they have no regular provider. In addition, one out of 10 Native elders report they were not able to get care when they needed it during the preceding 12 months. Reasons cited for not getting health care when it was needed included long waiting times, transportation problems, and cost. The authors conclude it is essential to develop policies that address the financial, geographical, and cultural aspects that negatively impact access to culturally appropriate healthcare. Full report available on request by contacting wopsahl@medicine.nodak.edu. Implementation of Telepharmacy in Rural Hospitals: Potential for Improving Medication Safety (Final Report) Date: 12/2008 Findings from this report describe successful telepharmacy activities being implemented in rural hospitals and analyze policy issues related to the implementation of telepharmacy projects in rural hospitals. Prevalence of Chronic Disease Among American Indian and Alaska Native Elders Date: 10/2005 Examines chronic disease prevalence and functional limitations among American Indian/Alaska Natives by rurality, gender, age, health care access, and health behaviors. Includes policy recommendations. [ back to top ]