Original Article

Bridging the Gap: Examining Physician Assistant Practice Patterns to Address Kentucky’s Health Care Workforce

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to provide a description of the physician assistant (PA) workforce in Kentucky and the perspective of current Kentucky PA students regarding factors to influence rural work. This study intends to provide insights into the practice patterns of Kentucky PAs and alumni and desires…

Posted in: medical education 74 practice patterns 3 Rural 17

Original Article

Community Socioeconomic and Urban–Rural Disparities in Prehospital Notification of Stroke by Emergency Medical Services in North Carolina

Objectives: Notification by emergency medical services (EMS) to the destination hospital of an incoming suspected stroke patient is associated with timelier in-hospital evaluation and treatment. Current data on adherence to this evidence-based best practice are limited, however. We examined the frequency of EMS stroke prenotification in North Carolina by community…

Posted in: disparities 16 emergency medical services 6 Rural 17 Stroke 16

Original Article

Eligible Prescriber Experiences with Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Perceptions of Pharmacy Barriers to Buprenorphine

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to better understand North Carolina providers’ specific substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder treatment practices and buprenorphine prescribing. Furthermore, this study aimed to provide novel information regarding US South and rural providers’ opioid use disorder treatment behaviors and perceptions of…

Posted in: buprenorphine 8 opioid use disorder 6 Rural 17 southern United States 3

Original Article

Healthcare Access in Rural Alabama: Patients’ Perspective on Access and Utilization

Objectives: Increasing healthcare access is a Healthy People 2030 priority. This study examined healthcare access from the residents’ perspective in the two most rural counties in the United States and compared the findings with data from the 2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) in rural and urban counties in…

Posted in: access 5 disparities 16 primary care 64 Rural 17 Urban 3

Original Article

Hepatitis C and HIV Screening, Testing, and Risk Perceptions among South-Central Appalachian County Health Department Staff

Objectives: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are significant public health concerns, especially given the risks for disease interactions. Rates of HCV and HIV are increasing, especially in rural areas. Local health departments (LHDs) play an important role in rural health care, offering screening, testing, and treatment…

Posted in: Appalachia 18 HIV 30 Rural 17

Original Article

Stigma, Social Support, and Substance Use in Diverse Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women Living with HIV in the US Southeast

Objectives: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rates in the southeast United States are high and substance use is common among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study used baseline data from the weCare intervention study to examine factors associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana among racially and ethnically…

Posted in: HIV 30 Rural 17 stigma 3 substance use 6

Original Article

Assessing Colorectal Cancer Screening Barriers in Rural Appalachia

Objectives: The age-appropriate colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rate in the rural Appalachian area is low compared with the national rate, which may account for the overall higher incidence of CRC in this area. The purpose of this study was to explore potential barriers to CRC screening in the West Virginia…

Posted in: Appalachian 2 colorectal cancer 18 Rural 17 screening 34 West Virginia 3

Original Article

Maternity Units in Rural Hospitals in North Carolina: Successful Models for Staffing and Structure

Objectives: Almost 15% of all US births occur in rural hospitals, yet rural hospitals are closing at an alarming rate because of shortages of delivering clinicians, nurses, and anesthesia support. We describe maternity staffing patterns in successful rural hospitals across North Carolina. Methods: All of the hospitals in the state…

Posted in: anesthesia 4 hospitals 5 obstetrics 6 Rural 17

Original Article

Telerheumatology: The VA Experience

Objectives: We sought to characterize the correlation between diagnoses made during telerheumatology and face-to-face visits and to document patients’ satisfaction with telerheumatology visits. Methods: This quality assurance study of the use of telerheumatology evaluated new patients referred to a Veterans Affairs rheumatology clinic. Patients were seen at a community clinic…

Posted in: rheumatology 4 Rural 17 Telemedicine 7

Original Article

Exploration of the Association Between Physical Health and Suicidal Behavior in Psychiatric Outpatients in Rural America

Objective: Evidence reveals a link between poor physical health and suicide. The physical health of rural, adult psychiatric outpatients with a history of suicide was examined. Methods: The medical records of 192 patients seen at a tertiary-level academic medical center were examined for demographics, psychiatric and medical history, and self-reported…

Posted in: physical health 4 Rural 17 suicide 7

Original Article

CME Article: Teen Driving Behaviors in a Rural Southern State

Objectives: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers. Alabama ranks fourth in the United States for teen crash fatalities. We sought to describe risky driving behaviors among teens in the rural areas of the state’s most populous county. Methods: A questionnaire was adapted from the Youth…

Posted in: Alabama 4 Rural 17 seatbelts 2 teen driving 2 texting 2

Original Article

Factors Associated with Placement of Rural Primary Care Physicians in North Carolina

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine what factors influence primary care physicians to choose rural practice locations to better develop the rural workforce in North Carolina. To better recruit and retain physicians, residents, and medical students for rural practice, we must understand what factors positively influence their…

Posted in: primary care 64 Rural 17

Original Article

Ethics Committees in Small, Rural Hospitals in East Tennessee

Background:Little research has been conducted to observe the impact that rural settings have on the structure and function of hospital ethics committees. Additionally, studies need to focus on ethics committees, as it is often the body which protects the values of the community as globalization increases. The purpose of this…

Posted in: hospitals 5 Rural 17 Tennessee 5

Original Article

Adverse Outcomes in Patients with Venous Thromboembolic Disease from a Rural Population

Objective: To study the adverse outcomes and its predictors during anticoagulant therapy in patients with venous thromboembolic disease (VTD) from a rural population. Methods: This is a prospective observational study of 94 consecutive patients. The patients were diagnosed in a first-level hospital from a rural Spanish area using objective methods…

Posted in: outcome 13 Rural 17 venous thromboembolism 5

Original Article

Rural-urban Differences in Factors Associated with Poor Blood Pressure Control Among Outpatients

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine which patient-related factors are most strongly associated with having uncontrolled hypertension among outpatients. Methods: A sample of 300 outpatients with diagnosed hypertension from three different settings was reviewed, focusing on demographics, comorbidity, adherence, and treatment factors. Regression analyses were conducted to…

Posted in: adherence 10 blood pressure 10 Hypertension 41 men’s health 2 Rural 17 Urban 3

Review Article

Obesity and the African-American Adolescent in Mississippi: An Overview

Obesity is one of the most common conditions seen in medical practice, and is one of the most difficult to treat. This condition is often perceived as a cosmetic problem, but it is associated with a number of chronic medical conditions including, but not limited to, heart disease, hypertension, and…

Posted in: African Americans 8 Obesity 70 Rural 17

Original Article

The Impact of Resident Physician Coverage on Emergency Department Visits in South Carolina

BackgroundThis study examines emergency department (ED) visits to assess the potential impact on rural and minority patients if the practice of resident moonlighting was limited.MethodsBilling data from all South Carolina ED visits in 1998 were linked to the physician licensure file. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine patient characteristics…

Posted in: emergency department 21 resident physicians 2 Rural 17
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