Rural and Underserved Health Research Center

Completed Projects

Listed by project completion date. You can also view these projects alphabetically.

2024

• Rural and Urban Cancer Survivors' Follow-Up Care Experiences
  This project examined rural vs. urban differences in cancer survivors' follow-up care experiences using the 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
  Topics: Cancer, Care management, Health services, Healthcare access, Physicians, Post-acute care, Quality
  
• Rural/Urban and Racial/Ethnic Inequities in Patient-Reported Health Care Access and Quality among Medicare Beneficiaries with Lung or Colorectal Cancer
  Incidence and mortality for colorectal and lung cancer are higher among rural versus urban residents, but many rural cancer patients lack accessible, high-quality care. This study 1) Identified rural/urban inequities in Medicare cancer patient-reported health care access and quality and 2) Determined if rural racial/ethnic minority patients have worse health care access and quality than rural White patients.
  Topics: Cancer, Healthcare access, Maternal health, Medicare, Minority health, Quality
  
• Rural/Urban Variations in Cancer Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  Using the National Cancer Institute Health Information National Trends Survey, we examined how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the receipt of recommended screenings for common cancers. Findings informed policymakers about potential widening of rural/urban disparities in the receipt of cancer preventive services and the potential need to target these services toward rural residents.
  Topics: Cancer, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Health promotion and disease prevention, Health services, Healthcare access
  

2023

• Diabetes Management in Urban and Rural Areas of the U.S.
  This project used the IBM MarketScan database to examine differences in type 2 diabetes prevalence and monitoring for a commercially insured sample. It also employed definitions from the Health Effectiveness Data and Information Set guidelines for comprehensive diabetes care to determine if rural residents are more or less likely to meet recommended standards for type 2 diabetes monitoring and control.
  Topics: Care management, Chronic diseases and conditions, Diabetes, Health promotion and disease prevention, Health services, Healthcare access, Private health insurance, Quality
  
• Rural and Urban Primary Care Physicians' Colorectal Screening Performance
  The objectives of this project were to profile, compare, and further understand rural versus urban differences in colorectal screening performance among primary care physicians nationally.
  Topics: Cancer, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health promotion and disease prevention, Healthcare access, Physicians
  
• Rural Family Physicians' Ability to Address Patients' Social Determinants of Health Needs
  This project examines how practice-level and community-level characteristics are associated with a family physician's assessment of their practice's ability to address patients' social needs.
  Topics: Physicians, Poverty, Social determinants of health
  

2022

• Longitudinal Trends in Community Mental Health Center and Federally Qualified Health Center Supply in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Counties
  This study described how the supply of community mental health centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers has changed over time in nonmetropolitan and metropolitan counties nationally.
  Topics: Health promotion and disease prevention, Hospitals and clinics, Mental and behavioral health, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Substance use and treatment
  
• Rural and Urban Variation in Family Physicians' Demographics and Practices
  This project examined changes in personal demographics of family physicians comparing urban and rural areas, how these changes aligned with those of the populations they serve, and how rural physician practices have changed over time. This project used American Board of Family Medicine data.
  Topics: Minority health, Physicians, Rural statistics and demographics
  
• Serious Mental Illness and Access to Care Among Rural and Urban Adults
  Very little research has examined the prevalence of serious mental illness and access to mental health treatment among rural relative to urban adults in the U.S. Using nationally representative data, this project shed new light on the prevalence and correlates of serious mental illness and related access to mental health services.
  Topics: Healthcare access, Hospitals and clinics, Mental and behavioral health, Substance use and treatment
  
• Unintentional Injury in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Settings by Race or Ethnicity
  This study described the rates of fatal and nonfatal unintentional injury comparing metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, stratified by race or ethnicity. This study used Centers for Disease Control WONDER data (2014-2018) and the 2018 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
  Topic: Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma
  

2021

• 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.
  Topics: Chronic diseases and conditions, Environmental and agricultural health, Health services
  
• Rural Variation in Access to Naloxone for Opioid Overdose Prevention
  This project examined variability in access to naloxone-based metropolitan/nonmetropolitan dispensing counts from a representative sample of outpatient pharmacies across the U.S.
  Topics: Healthcare access, Pharmacy and prescription drugs, Substance use and treatment
  
• 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.
  Topics: Mental and behavioral health, Social determinants of health
  

2020

• Medicare Beneficiaries' Access to Preventive Services: Diabetes Self-Management Training, Medical Nutrition Therapy, and Health and Behavior Assessment and Intervention
  Medicare offers preventive services focused on self-management through several programs: Diabetes Self-Management Training, Medical Nutrition Therapy, and Health and Behavior Assessment and Intervention.
  Topics: Diabetes, Health promotion and disease prevention, Medicare, Obesity
  
• Mental Health Treatment Access: How Do Mental Health Treatment Use and Unmet Treatment Need Vary Among Rural and Urban Adults Nationally?
  This project will estimate the prevalence and policy-modifiable correlates of unmet mental health treatment need and utilization among metropolitan, micropolitan, and other non-metropolitan adults nationally who have a mental health condition. Additionally, the study will investigate the same issues among Native Americans/American Indians.
  Topics: American Indians and Alaska Natives, Health services, Mental and behavioral health
  
• Risky Substance Use Among Adolescents and Adults in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Counties
  Little research has examined the prevalence of risky substance use (alcohol and drugs) among nonmetropolitan adolescents and adults relative to their metropolitan counterparts. Using nationally representative data, this project shed new light on the prevalence and correlates of risky substance use that could inform prevention strategies.
  Topics: American Indians and Alaska Natives, Health promotion and disease prevention, Mental and behavioral health, Minority health, Substance use and treatment
  

2019

• Predictors of Buprenorphine Prescribing by Family Physicians in Rural Areas Nationally
  This project examined how physician and practice-level characteristics are associated with family physicians prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder across rural and urban areas. The study made use of a unique dataset collected among family physicians nationally in 2017.
  Topics: Health services, Mental and behavioral health, Pharmacy and prescription drugs, Physicians, Substance use and treatment
  
• Rural and Urban Differences in Access to Psychiatric Partial Hospitalization Programs
  The project informed policymakers about the accessibility of psychiatric partial hospitalization programs, which provide moderately intensive and structured psychiatric services in outpatient settings, particularly hospital-based outpatient clinics.
  Topics: Health services, Healthcare access, Hospitals and clinics, Mental and behavioral health
  
• Substance Use, Depression, and Suicide: What Are the Individual and Policy-Modifiable Correlates Amongst Metropolitan and Non-metropolitan Adults?
  We estimated the prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation and attempts amongst metropolitan and non-metropolitan adults nationally. We also investigated how demographic, social, economic, and health (including alcohol and drug abuse) as well as healthcare access factors explain depression and suicide indicators amongst residents.
  Topics: Health services, Mental and behavioral health, Substance use and treatment
  

2018

• Barriers and Disparities Associated with Pneumococcal Immunization Among Rural Elderly Adults
  Our Center conducted analyses of national survey data and unique insurance claims data sets to identify how rurality of residence and key demographic, social, and economic characteristics serve as barriers or facilitators to vaccination against pneumococcal disease, which is relatively common although largely preventable among older Americans.
  Topic: Health promotion and disease prevention
  
• The Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Rural/Urban Variations in Access to Substance Use Treatment
  Research indicates that substance use treatment access is insufficient in rural areas. We made use of our rare access to restricted use NSDUH data to offer new insights about the impact of Medicaid expansion on access to substance abuse treatment among individuals with substance abuse disorders, analyzing 13 years (2004-2016).
  Topics: Health services, Substance use and treatment
  
• Variation in Scope of Practice and Medical Services Available at Family Physician Practices within Rural Areas
  Using data collected during recertification of family physicians by the American Board of Family Medicine, we examined variation in the scope of practice of family physicians and services available in the primary practice site by degree of rurality and within rural categories by community-level deprivation, as well as variation by Patient Centered Medical Home status.
  Topics: Health services, Physicians
  

2017

• Exploring the Impact of Rural Hospital Closures on Use of Emergency Medical Services
  Using a unique national database, The Enterprise Data Trust, we will explore pre- and post-closure hospital emergency department use with specific emphasis on those who used public emergency medical transportation, testing for significant changes. This study will be the first to look at the impacts of rural hospital closure at the patient level.
  Topics: Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma, Health services, Transportation