Rural Health
Research Gateway

Peiyin Hung, PhD, MSPH

Co-Director, Rural and Minority Health Research Center

Phone: 803.777.9867
Email: hungp@mailbox.sc.edu
X: @PeiyinHung

University of South Carolina
220 Stoneridge Drive, Suite 204
Columbia, SC 29210

Current Projects - (9)

  • Challenges, Successes, and Sustainability of the 2019 Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) Programs
    This mixed-methods study aims to understand awardees' experiences in building and maintaining cohesive networks for Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS).
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Health services, Healthcare access, Maternal health, Minority health, Networking and collaboration, Telehealth, Women
  • Changes in Medicare Fee-for-Services Health Care Expenditures in Rural and Urban Communities after Passage of the Affordable Care Act
    This project will assess changes in Medicare per-beneficiary spending across rural and urban counties from 2007 to 2020. It will examine differences in rural versus urban per-beneficiary spending on hospital inpatient, hospital outpatient, physician, and post-acute care after the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Care management, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health disparities and health equity, Health services, Hospitals and clinics, Public health
  • Disparities in Mental Health Services Access: the Intersectionality of Residence Rurality, Race, and Ethnicity
    In 2021, approximately 8.6 million rural adults faced mental health challenges while millions of rural adolescents battled major depressive episodes. This study examines disparities in mental health services uptake and variation in mental health care settings across racial-ethnic and rural-urban subpopulations before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Children and adolescents, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Health services, Healthcare access, Mental and behavioral health
  • Oral Healthcare Utilization and Outcomes of Rural and Urban Medicaid-Insured Children in the United States
    Using nationally representative Medicaid claims data, this project will determine rural-urban differences in the prevalence of early childhood caries, preventative dental visits, and restorative dental visits.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Children and adolescents, Health disparities and health equity, Medicaid and CHIP, Oral health, Rural statistics and demographics
  • Rural-Urban Differences in Emergency Department Utilization and Costs for Dental Conditions
    Emergency Department (ED) Utilization is a de facto provider for untreated dental issues. Understanding rural-urban differences in ED use for dental conditions in recent years is essential to inform federal, state, and community-level dental health initiatives such as preventive dental care, tele-dentistry infrastructure expansion, and oral hygiene practices. Ongoing national efforts addressing rural disparities in dental care should target individuals most at risk for missing preventive care and utilizing the ED for dental care.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma, Oral health
  • Rural-Urban Disparities in Mental Health Access and Quality in the United States
    The purpose of this project is to document the recent trends of mental health care access and quality in urban and rural communities and to assess the intersectionality of residence rurality and race/ethnicity on disparities in mental health care access and quality.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Healthcare access, Mental and behavioral health
  • Spatial Distribution of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Need and Care
    The incidence of HIV is disproportionately high in rural areas, but these communities often lack access to evidence-based interventions to prevent new HIV diagnoses such as PrEP. Using Medicaid claims data and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Provider file, this study will determine geographic disparities (by rurality and region) in the need for PrEP and PrEP availability and identify whether PrEP availability meets the needs across geography.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Pharmacy and prescription drugs
  • State-Level Medicaid Bundled Payments and Rural Perinatal Care
    The impacts of state-level Medicaid bundled payment models will depend on many factors, such as maternity care facility structure, scope of services, and local patient bypassing behaviors during prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum periods. For rural providers who often offer prenatal and postpartum care but not labor and delivery services, these bundled payments may impose additional financial and logistical challenges.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Maternal health, Medicaid and CHIP
  • The Rural Landscape of Diabetes in the United States
    Rural-urban differences in diabetes and diabetes management may be attributed to socioeconomic differences and treatment available to rural residents. Using data from 2021-2023 National Health Interview Survey, this study will examine 1) rural-urban differences in diabetes and prediabetes incidence and prevalences, 2) rural-urban differences in the management, treatment, and complications associated with diabetes, and co-occurring risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Using data from the 2021 and 2022 CDC WONDER, we will also report diabetes mortality differences by rurality and race/ethnicity.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: American Indians and Alaska Natives, Diabetes, Healthcare access, Hispanics, Minority health, Rural statistics and demographics

Completed Projects - (4)

  • Availability and Quality of Dialysis in Rural Counties with a High Diabetes Burden
    This project examined the degree to which counties with a high population risk for end stage renal disease, defined by high diabetes prevalence, are served by dialysis providers. It assessed the accessibility and quality of services for end stage renal disease looking for disparities associated with rural residence and racial/ethnic population composition.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Diabetes, Health disparities and health equity, Health services, Public health, Quality
  • Availability of Diabetes Self-Management Education in High Need Rural Counties
    This project examined the degree to which counties with a high need for diabetes education, defined by high diabetes prevalence, have such education available. Findings were linked to a related study that examined the availability of dialysis for end stage renal disease, a severe outcome of poorly addressed diabetes.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Diabetes, Health services
  • Cancer Prevention and Control Activities in Rural Hospitals
    This project aimed to understand how rural hospitals perceive and implement evidence-based cancer screening and treatment and related intervention strategies.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Cancer, Hospitals and clinics, Minority health
  • Examining Rural-Urban Differences in Availability of Hospital Cardiac Testing Services Between 2010-2020
    This project will examine whether the availability of hospital-based cardiac testing services has changed over the past ten years in rural and urban counties and identify the characteristics of counties where service availability has changed.
    Research center: Rural and Minority Health Research Center
    Topics: Care management, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health disparities and health equity, Health services, Hospitals and clinics, Public health

Publications - (58)

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

  • Relationship Between Hospital Policies for Labor Induction and Cesarean Delivery and Perinatal Care Quality Among Rural U.S. Hospitals
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 11/2016
    This study focused on maternity care quality by taking a look at hospitals' policies regarding induced labor and Cesarean deliveries.
  • Why Are Obstetric Units in Rural Hospitals Closing Their Doors?
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 08/2016
    Analyzes the reasons behind hospital- and county-level factors for rural obstetric unit closures.
  • Factors Associated With High-Risk Rural Women Giving Birth in Non-NICU Hospital Settings
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 07/2016
    Identifies rick factors for childbirth in facilities without neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) capacities among high-risk rural women. The study found that rural women with preterm birthday and multiple gestation pregnancies were less likely to give birth in a hospital with NICU capacity if no local hospital had this capacity.
  • The Practice of Midwifery in Rural U.S. Hospitals
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 07/2016
    Analyzes the role of certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) in providing maternity care in rural US hospitals and to examine state-level variations on rural CNM practice. CNMs play an important role in the maternity care workforce in rural US hospitals.
  • Ensuring Access to High-Quality Maternity Care in Rural America
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2016
    Examines the access to high-quality for rural women care during pregnancy and childbirth. Policy interventions at the local, state, and federal levels could help to address maternity care workforce shortages and improve quality of care available to the one-half million rural U.S. women who give birth each year.
  • Location of Childbirth for Rural Women: Implications for Maternal Levels of Care
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2016
    This study looks into the rate at which rural women give birth at nonlocal hospitals. Approximately 75% of rural women gave birth at local hospitals. However, after controlling for clinical complications, rural Medicaid beneficiaries were less likely to give birth at nonlocal hospitals, implying a potential access challenge for this population.
  • State Variations in the Rural Obstetric Workforce
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2016
    Many types of staff are necessary to successfully run an obstetrics unit. Rural hospitals face unique staffing challenges. This policy brief describes the obstetric workforce in rural hospitals by state for nine states: Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
  • Rural Implications of Expanded Birth Volume Threshold for Reporting Perinatal Care Measures
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 04/2016
    In 2016 the minimum annual birth volume threshold for required reporting of the Joint Commission Perinatal Care measures by accredited hospitals decreased from 1,100 to 300 births. This study used the publicly available Join Commission Quality Check data from April 2014 to March 2015.

2015

  • Which Rural and Urban Hospitals Have Received Readmission Penalties Over Time?
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 10/2015
    The Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program reduces Medicare payments for hospitals with excess rates of patient readmissions for certain conditions. It assesses rural/urban differences in the proportion of hospitals penalized under the program over time and whether condition-specific hospital readmission rates differ for rural/urban hospitals.
  • Rural Women Delivering Babies in Non-Local Hospitals: Differences by Rurality and Insurance Status
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 06/2015
    This policy brief describes the extent to which rural pregnant women give birth in non-local hospitals and analyzes current patterns of non-local delivery by rural women's health insurance status and residential rurality.
  • Minimum Distance Requirements Could Harm High-Performing CAHs and Rural Communities
    Journal Article
    North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 04/2015
    Compares the effect of location on critical access hospitals' size, quality of care, and financial strength. Discusses implications of minimum distance requirements on critical access hospitals.
  • The Rural Obstetric Workforce in U.S. Hospitals: Challenges and Opportunities
    Journal Article
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 03/2015
    Describes the healthcare and clinician types who are delivering babies in rural hospitals, such as family physicians, general surgeons, obstetricians, and midwives. Discusses the relationship between hospital birth volume and staffing models.
  • Nurse Staffing Levels and Quality of Care in Rural Nursing Homes
    Policy Brief
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 01/2015
    This study's purpose was to examine the relationship between nurse staffing levels and care quality in rural nursing homes and to assess potential differences between hospital-based and freestanding rural nursing homes.

2014

2012