• Current Projects - (3)
• Completed Projects - (1)
• Publications - (7)

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Current Projects - (3)

• Examining the Legal Landscape in Rural America: Implications for the Healthcare Workforce, Access to Care, and Population Health
  This project explores potential rural/urban differences in the prevalence of malpractice claims, clinical privilege actions, and state licensure actions among health care providers. We will also examine whether variations in nurse practitioner scope of practice laws affect rural residents differentially, especially with respect to preventive care.
  Research center: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Allied health professionals, Health services, Legislation and regulation, Nurses and nurse practitioners, Workforce
  
• How Well are We Doing Meeting Healthy People 2020 Mortality Objectives at Midterm? Rural v. Urban Differences
  The purpose of this project is to conduct a midterm examination of urban versus rural disparities in meeting Healthy People 2020 mortality objectives for the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. utilizing existing secondary databases.
  Research center: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Health disparities and health equity
  
• Malpractice Claims Among Rural and Urban Providers: Do State Telehealth Laws Make a Difference?
  This project examines trends in state telehealth laws and whether they have affected the rural and urban malpractice environments differentially. Data from the National Practitioner Data Bank are used to determine whether changes in telehealth laws are associated with increased malpractice claims and other adverse actions against providers.
  Research center: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Allied health professionals, Legislation and regulation, Nurses and nurse practitioners, Telehealth, Workforce
  

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Completed Projects - (1)

• The Burden of Diabetes in Rural America
  The purpose of this project is to determine rural versus urban differences in type 2 diabetes prevalence, morbidity and mortality in the U.S. Diabetes complications, disparities and associated demographics are reported. A comparison of Mexican-American border versus non-border states is also included.
  Research center: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Diabetes, Health disparities and health equity, Minority health
  

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Publications - (7)

• Assessing Diabetes and Factors Associated with Foregoing Medical Care Among Persons with Diabetes: Disparities Facing American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic, Low Income, and Southern Adults in the U.S. (2011-2015)
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 04/2017
  The purpose of this project was to identify individual- and place-based factors associated with diagnosed diabetes and foregone medical care among those diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes prevalence and foregone medical care were found to be higher for those with lower incomes, for several racial/ethnic groups, and in the South versus other regions.
• Cancer Mortality in Rural America: 1999-2016
  Policy Brief
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 11/2018
  This policy brief details the differences in mortality from cancer at various levels of rurality in America. The primary aim of this study was to understand the scope of cancer mortality in urban and rural areas of the U.S. Common cancer types—breast, cervical, lung, prostate, and colon—were analyzed over an 18-year period from 1999-2016.
• The Changing Landscape of Diabetes Mortality in the United States Across Region and Rurality, 1999-2016
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 02/2019
  This brief report examines place-based differences in diabetes mortality to understand whether disparities in diabetes mortality have changed across U.S. Census regions and levels of rurality over time. Reductions in diabetes mortality are lagging in rural areas, and the rural South in particular, relative to other areas of the country.
• Diabetes and Forgone Medical Care due to Cost in the U.S. (2011-2015): Individual-level and Place-based Disparities
  Policy Brief
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 08/2017
  This brief is the first in a series prepared by the Southwest Rural Health Research Center on the topic of diabetes. The two aims of this study were to identify trends in diabetes rates and forgone medical care among persons with diabetes in the U.S. and to identify geographic determinants and other social determinants of health disparities.
• Diabetes Mortality in Rural America: 1999-2015
  Policy Brief
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 08/2017
  This brief is the second in a series prepared by the Southwest Rural Health Research Center on the topic of diabetes. The primary aim of this study was to understand the scope of diabetes-related mortality in urban and rural America. We analyzed mortality caused by diabetes over a 16-year period and explored the roles played by rurality and race.
• Diabetes-Related Hospital Mortality in Rural America: A Significant Cause for Concern
  Policy Brief
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 03/2018
  This brief is the third in a series prepared by the Southwest Rural Health Research Center on the topic of diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine trends and rates of diabetes-related deaths for persons hospitalized in the U.S., with emphasis on differences across the urban-rural continuum and across census regions.
• Diabetes-Related Hospital Mortality in the U.S.: A Pooled Cross-Sectional Study of the National Inpatient Sample
  Southwest Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 02/2019
  This study examined place-based and individual-level variations in diabetes-related hospital deaths using the 2009-2015 National Inpatient Sample. Results show that place-based disparities exist. Targeted focus should be placed on the control of diabetic complications in the South, West, and Midwest census regions and among rural residents.