Ahmed A. Arif, PhD, CPH, FACE

Rural and Underserved Health Research Center

Phone: 704.687.7561
Fax: 704.687.6122
Email: aarif@uncc.edu

Department of Public Health Sciences
University of North Carolina - Charlotte
College of Health and Human Services
9201 University City Blvd, CHHS 429
Charlotte, NC 28223

Current Projects - (1)
Completed Projects - (2)
Publications - (8)

Current Projects - (1)

Changes in Access to Care During the Public Health Emergency: Examining Rural-Urban Disparities by Insurance Type
Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, this study will compare key access to care indicators among adult beneficiaries residing in rural and urban areas before and after the Public Health Emergency by types of health insurance. Researchers will explore state-level policy variations, such as the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion and COVID-19-related Medicaid coverage for uninsured adults.
Research center: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Topics: Healthcare access, Healthcare financing, Medicaid and CHIP, Uninsured and underinsured

Completed Projects - (2)

Lung Diseases Among Coal Miners
Coal miners are at increased risk of lung diseases. Using secondary datasets, we will assess the distribution of lung diseases across regions, identify patterns of healthcare utilization among miners relative to HRSA-funded Black Lung Clinics, and compare healthcare utilization patterns, behaviors, and comorbidities among miners and non-miners.
Research center: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Environmental and agricultural health, Health services
The Association of Occupation with Mental Illnesses and Death by Suicide
This study examined the association of occupational risk factors with mental illnesses, all-cause mortality, and suicide.
Research center: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Topics: Mental and behavioral health, Social determinants of health

Publications - (8)

2024

Suicide Rates and Risks Across U.S. Industries: A 29-Year Population-Based Survey
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 01/2024
Combining 29 years of U.S. suicide data using the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)-Mortality Linked data from 1986 through 2014, with mortality follow-up through 2015, this study estimates suicide risks across industries in the U.S. working population.

2023

Psychological Distress Is More Common in Some Occupations and Increases With Job Tenure: A Thirty-Seven Year Panel Study in the United States
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 03/2023
This study used 1981–2017 data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (Kessler K6) to identify occupations with low and high risks of mental health problems in the United States.

2022

Estimating Mortality From Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Pneumoconiosis Using Binary Regressions for Spatially Sparse Data
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 02/2022
This study estimates mortality from coal workers' pneumoconiosis and other pneumoconioses among Medicare beneficiaries using the 5% Medicare Limited Claims Data Set, 2011-2014.

2021

Suicide Mortality Rates in Farm-Related Occupations and the Agriculture Industry in the United States
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 09/2021
This article examines suicide mortality among agricultural workers comparing rural and urban residents using pooled data from the Mortality‐Linked National Health Interview Survey, 1986–2014.
Spatial Analysis of Healthcare Utilization Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis and Other Related Pneumoconiosis
Policy Brief
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 04/2021
Miners risk developing coal workers' pneumoconiosis (black lung disease) and other pneumoconiosis. This study determines, maps, and analyzes the spatial patterns of healthcare utilization among Medicare beneficiaries with black lung disease and other related pneumoconiosis using the Medicare beneficiaries Limited Data Set from 2011-2014.

2020

Mortality Among Workers Employed in the Mining Industry in the United States: A 29‐Year Analysis of the National Health Interview Survey—Linked Mortality File, 1986‐2014
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 07/2020
Working in the mining industry increases the risk of chronic diseases and mortality. We investigated overall and cause‐specific mortality rates among workers employed in the mining sector in the U.S.
Estimating the Prevalence and Spatial Clusters of Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis Cases Using Medicare Claims Data, 2011‐2014
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 03/2020
Workers in the coal mining sector are at increased risk of respiratory diseases, including coal workers' pneumoconiosis (CWP). We investigated the prevalence of CWP and its association with sociodemographic factors among Medicare beneficiaries. We found evidence of significant spatial clustering of CWP in the states and population analyzed.

2019

The Prevalence of Chronic Diseases Among Current and Ex-Miners in the United States
Journal Article
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 12/2019
This paper compares the prevalence and odds of chronic diseases among ex-miners and current miners, adjusting for certain variables that might influence health outcomes. The analysis found that the prevalence of chronic disease is significantly higher among ex-miners.