{"title":"The uneven impact of Medicaid expansion on rural and urban Black, Latino/a, and White mortality.","authors":"J Tom Mueller, Regina S Baker, Matthew M Brooks","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12859","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12859","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To determine the differential impact of Medicaid expansion on all-cause mortality between Black, Latino/a, and White populations in rural and urban areas, and assess how expansion impacted mortality disparities between these groups.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We employ a county-level time-varying heterogenous treatment effects difference-in-difference analysis of Medicaid expansion on all-cause age-adjusted mortality for those 64 years of age or younger from 2009 to 2019. For all counties within the 50 US States and the District of Columbia, we use restricted-access vital statistics data to estimate Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) for all combinations of racial and ethnic group (Black, Latino/a, White), rurality (rural, urban), and sex. We then assess aggregate ATET, as well as how the ATET changed as time from expansion increased.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Medicaid expansion led to a reduction in all-cause age-adjusted mortality for urban Black populations, but not rural Black populations. Urban White populations experienced mixed effects dependent on years after expansion. Latino/a populations saw no appreciable impact. While no effect was observed for rural Black and Latino/a populations, rural White all-cause age-adjusted mortality unexpectedly increased due to Medicaid expansion. These effects reduced rural- and urban-specific Black-White mortality disparities but did not shrink the rural-urban mortality gap.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The mortality-reducing impact of Medicaid expansion has been uneven across racial and ethnic groups and rural-urban status; suggesting that many populations-particularly rural individuals-are not seeing the same benefits as others. It is imperative that states work to ensure Medicaid expansion is being appropriately implemented in rural areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141581363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mary C Schroeder, Jason Semprini, Amanda R Kahl, Ingrid M Lizarraga, Sarah A Birken, Madison M Wahlen, Erin C Johnson, Jessica Gorzelitz, Aaron T Seaman, Mary E Charlton
{"title":"Geographic distance to Commission on Cancer-accredited and nonaccredited hospitals in the United States.","authors":"Mary C Schroeder, Jason Semprini, Amanda R Kahl, Ingrid M Lizarraga, Sarah A Birken, Madison M Wahlen, Erin C Johnson, Jessica Gorzelitz, Aaron T Seaman, Mary E Charlton","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12862","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jrh.12862","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The Commission on Cancer (CoC) establishes standards to support multidisciplinary, comprehensive cancer care. CoC-accredited cancer programs diagnose and/or treat 73% of patients in the United States. However, rural patients may experience diminished access to CoC-accredited cancer programs. Our study evaluated distance to hospitals by CoC accreditation status, rurality, and Census Division.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>All US hospitals were identified from public-use Homeland Infrastructure Foundation-Level Data, then merged with CoC-accreditation data. Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) were used to categorize counties as metro (RUCC 1-3), large rural (RUCC 4-6), or small rural (RUCC 7-9). Distance from each county centroid to the nearest CoC and non-CoC hospital was calculated using the Great Circle Distance method in ArcGIS.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Of 1,382 CoC-accredited hospitals, 89% were in metro counties. Small rural counties contained a total of 30 CoC and 794 non-CoC hospitals. CoC hospitals were located 4.0, 10.1, and 11.5 times farther away than non-CoC hospitals for residents of metro, large rural, and small rural counties, respectively, while the average distance to non-CoC hospitals was similar across groups (9.4-13.6 miles). Distance to CoC-accredited facilities was greatest west of the Mississippi River, in particular the Mountain Division (99.2 miles).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite similar proximity to non-CoC hospitals across groups, CoC hospitals are located farther from large and small rural counties than metro counties, suggesting rural patients have diminished access to multidisciplinary, comprehensive cancer care afforded by CoC-accredited hospitals. Addressing distance-based access barriers to high-quality, comprehensive cancer treatment in rural US communities will require a multisectoral approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141499462","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A Jerrod Anzalone, William H Beasley, Kimberly Murray, William B Hillegass, Makayla Schissel, Michael T Vest, Scott A Chapman, Ronald Horswell, Lucio Miele, J Zachary Porterfield, H Timothy Bunnell, Bradley S Price, Sharon Patrick, Clifford J Rosen, Susan L Santangelo, James C McClay, Sally L Hodder
{"title":"Associations between COVID-19 therapies and outcomes in rural and urban America: A multisite, temporal analysis from the Alpha to Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants.","authors":"A Jerrod Anzalone, William H Beasley, Kimberly Murray, William B Hillegass, Makayla Schissel, Michael T Vest, Scott A Chapman, Ronald Horswell, Lucio Miele, J Zachary Porterfield, H Timothy Bunnell, Bradley S Price, Sharon Patrick, Clifford J Rosen, Susan L Santangelo, James C McClay, Sally L Hodder","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12857","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jrh.12857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To investigate the enduring disparities in adverse COVID-19 events between urban and rural communities in the United States, focusing on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and therapeutic advances on patient outcomes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 2021 to 2023, this retrospective cohort study examined COVID-19 hospitalization, inpatient death, and other adverse events. Populations were categorized into urban, urban-adjacent rural (UAR), and nonurban-adjacent rural (NAR). Adjustments included demographics, variant-dominant waves, comorbidities, region, and SARS-CoV-2 treatment and vaccination. Statistical methods included Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, multivariable logistic, and Cox regression.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The study included 3,018,646 patients, with rural residents constituting 506,204. These rural dwellers were older, had more comorbidities, and were less vaccinated than their urban counterparts. Adjusted analyses revealed higher hospitalization odds in UAR and NAR (aOR 1.07 [1.05-1.08] and 1.06 [1.03-1.08]), greater inpatient death hazard (aHR 1.30 [1.26-1.35] UAR and 1.37 [1.30-1.45] NAR), and greater risk of other adverse events compared to urban dwellers. Delta increased, while Omicron decreased, inpatient adverse events relative to pre-Delta, with rural disparities persisting throughout. Treatment effectiveness and vaccination were similarly protective across all cohorts, but dexamethasone post-ventilation was effective only in urban areas. Nirmatrelvir/ritonavir and molnupiravir better protected rural residents against hospitalization.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite advancements in treatment and vaccinations, disparities in adverse COVID-19 outcomes persist between urban and rural communities. The effectiveness of some therapeutic agents appears to vary based on rurality, suggesting a nuanced relationship between treatment and geographic location while highlighting the need for targeted rural health care strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141477837","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erin E Sullivan, Amber L Stephenson, Matthew J DePuccio, Benjamin Anderson, Bill Auxier, John Henderson, Mark Linzer
{"title":"Workplace factors related to health care leader well-being in rural settings.","authors":"Erin E Sullivan, Amber L Stephenson, Matthew J DePuccio, Benjamin Anderson, Bill Auxier, John Henderson, Mark Linzer","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12863","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12863","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To examine which workplace factors contribute to health care leader well-being in rural settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Working with two rurally focused organizations, we administered a Rural Leader Burnout survey to executive leaders. The survey contained 25 questions; 24 were closed-item multiple choice and 1 open-ended question. The survey was based on the Mini Z 10 item burnout survey with 5 additional items for leaders. Logistic regression and qualitative content analysis determined factors associated with job satisfaction, burnout, and intent to leave (ITL).</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>There were 288 respondents (response rate 22%). Of 272 with complete data, 61.4% were women and 51.8% had worked > 10 years. About 81% reported job satisfaction, 40.2% were burned out, and 49.8% intended to leave their administrative roles within 2 years. Factors statistically associated with satisfaction were work control (OR = 3.0), values alignment with leadership (OR = 2.1), and trust in organization (OR = 2.0). Work control (OR = 0.3), trust in organization (OR = 0.4), and stress (OR = 4.1) were associated with burnout. Trust in organization (OR = 0.5), feeling valued (OR = 0.6), and stress (OR = 1.8) associated with ITL. Qualitative data revealed three themes relevant to rural leaders: (1) industry challenges, (2) daily operational issues, and (3) difficult relationships.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These exploratory analyses demonstrate practical ways to improve work conditions to mitigate burnout and turnover in rural leaders. Promoting thriving in leaders would be an important step in maintaining the rural health care workforce.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141494085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nicholas Edwardson, David van der Goes, V Shane Pankratz, Gulshan Parasher, Prajakta Adsul, Kevin English, Judith Sheche, Shiraz I Mishra
{"title":"Trends in and factors associated with family physician-performed screening colonoscopies in the United States: 2016-2021.","authors":"Nicholas Edwardson, David van der Goes, V Shane Pankratz, Gulshan Parasher, Prajakta Adsul, Kevin English, Judith Sheche, Shiraz I Mishra","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12858","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Family physician (FP)-performed screening colonoscopies can serve as 1 strategy in the multifaceted strategy necessary to improve national colorectal cancer screening rates, particularly in rural areas where specialist models can fail. However, little research exists on the performance of this strategy in the real world. In this study, we evaluated trends in and factors associated with FP-performed screening colonoscopies in the United States between 2016 and 2021.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using national data from Merative's Marketscan insurance claims database, we estimate the proportion of screening colonoscopies performed by FPs. We use logistic regression models to evaluate factors independently associated with FP-performed colonoscopies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The percentage of screening colonoscopies performed by FPs exhibited a downward trend from 11.32% in 2016 to 6.73% in 2021, with the largest decrease occurring among patients from the most rural areas. FPs were more likely to perform colonoscopies on slightly older patients, male patients, and rural patients. Patients were less likely to receive FP-performed colonoscopies in large metropolitan areas compared to lesser populated areas. Patients were more likely to receive FP-performed colonoscopies in the Midwest, South, and West, even after accounting for urban-rural classification.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Despite a downward trajectory, FPs perform a substantial proportion of screening colonoscopies in the United States. Changes to the business side of health care delivery may be contributing to the observed decreasing rate. Whether through spatial or relational proximity, FPs may be better positioned to provide colonoscopy to some rural, male, and older patients who otherwise may not have been screened. Policy changes to expand the FP workforce, particularly in rural areas, are likely necessary to slow or reverse the downward trend of FP-performed screening colonoscopies.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141460400","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kevin J Tu, J Priyanka Vakkalanka, Uche E Okoro, Karisa K Harland, Cole Wymore, Brian M Fuller, Kalyn Campbell, Morgan B Swanson, Edith A Parker, Luke J Mack, Amanda Bell, Katie DeJong, Brett Faine, Anne Zepeski, Keith Mueller, Elizabeth Chrischilles, Christopher R Carpenter, Michael P Jones, Marcia M Ward, Nicholas M Mohr
{"title":"Provider-to-provider telemedicine for sepsis is used less frequently in communities with high social vulnerability.","authors":"Kevin J Tu, J Priyanka Vakkalanka, Uche E Okoro, Karisa K Harland, Cole Wymore, Brian M Fuller, Kalyn Campbell, Morgan B Swanson, Edith A Parker, Luke J Mack, Amanda Bell, Katie DeJong, Brett Faine, Anne Zepeski, Keith Mueller, Elizabeth Chrischilles, Christopher R Carpenter, Michael P Jones, Marcia M Ward, Nicholas M Mohr","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12861","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jrh.12861","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Sepsis disproportionately affects patients in rural and socially vulnerable communities. A promising strategy to address this disparity is provider-to-provider emergency department (ED)-based telehealth consultation (tele-ED). The objective of this study was to determine if county-level social vulnerability index (SVI) was associated with tele-ED use for sepsis and, if so, which SVI elements were most strongly associated.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used data from the TELEmedicine as a Virtual Intervention for Sepsis in Rural Emergency Department study. The primary exposures were SVI aggregate and component scores. We used multivariable generalized estimating equations to model the association between SVI and tele-ED use.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Our study cohort included 1191 patients treated in 23 Midwestern rural EDs between August 2016 and June 2019, of whom 326 (27.4%) were treated with tele-ED. Providers in counties with a high SVI were less likely to use tele-ED (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31‒0.87), an effect principally attributable to the housing type and transportation component of SVI (aOR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.22-0.89). Providers who treated fewer sepsis patients (1‒10 vs. 31+ over study period) and therefore may have been less experienced in sepsis care, were more likely to activate tele-ED (aOR = 3.91, 95% CI 2.08‒7.38).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Tele-ED use for sepsis was lower in socially vulnerable counties and higher among providers who treated fewer sepsis patients. These findings suggest that while tele-ED increases access to specialized care, it may not completely ameliorate sepsis disparities due to its less frequent use in socially vulnerable communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141460374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catherine E. Peasley-Miklus PhD, Julia G. Shaw MPH, Katie Rosingana BA, Mary Lindsey Smith PhD, Stacey C. Sigmon PhD, Sarah H. Heil PhD, Jennifer Jewiss EdD, Andrea C. Villanti MPH, PhD, Valerie S. Harder PhD, MHS
{"title":"“I don't think that a medication is going to help someone long-term stay off opioids”: Treatment and recovery beliefs of rural Vermont family members of people with opioid use disorder","authors":"Catherine E. Peasley-Miklus PhD, Julia G. Shaw MPH, Katie Rosingana BA, Mary Lindsey Smith PhD, Stacey C. Sigmon PhD, Sarah H. Heil PhD, Jennifer Jewiss EdD, Andrea C. Villanti MPH, PhD, Valerie S. Harder PhD, MHS","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12851","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jrh.12851","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Purpose</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Few studies have addressed beliefs about treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) among family members of people with OUD, particularly in rural communities. This study examined the beliefs of rural family members of people with OUD regarding treatment, including medication for OUD (MOUD), and recovery.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with rural Vermont family members of people with OUD. Twenty family members completed interviews, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Four primary themes related to beliefs about OUD treatment emerged: (1) MOUD is another form of addiction or dependency and should be used short-term; (2) essential OUD treatment components include residential and mental health services and a strong support network involving family; (3) readiness as a precursor to OUD treatment initiation; and (4) stigma as an impediment to OUD treatment and other health care services.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Rural family members valued mental health services and residential OUD treatment programs while raising concerns about MOUD and stigma in health care and the community. Several themes (e.g., MOUD as another form of addiction, residential treatment, and treatment readiness) were consistent with prior research. The belief that MOUD use should be short-term was inconsistent with the belief that OUD is a disease. Findings suggest a need for improved education on the effectiveness of MOUD for family members and on stigma for health care providers and community members.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jrh.12851","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141332383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Whitney E Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth L Crouch, Radhika Ranganathan, Jan M Eberth
{"title":"Health care access barriers among metropolitan and nonmetropolitan populations of eight geographically diverse states, 2018.","authors":"Whitney E Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth L Crouch, Radhika Ranganathan, Jan M Eberth","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12855","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jrh.12855","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Nonmetropolitan populations face frequent health care access barriers compared to their metropolitan counterparts, but differences in the number of these barriers across groups are not known. Our objective was to examine the differences in health care access barriers across metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore populations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from the optional \"Health Care Access\" module to perform a cross-sectional analysis examining access barriers across levels of rurality using bivariate analyses and Poisson models. Access barriers were operationalized as a count ranging from 0 to 5, reflective of the number of financial barriers and nonfinancial barriers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Micropolitan and noncore respondents had lower educational attainment, were older, and were less racially/ethnically diverse than metropolitan respondents. They also reported more barriers, including lacking health insurance, medical debt, and foregoing care or medication due to cost. These barriers were most pronounced in non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Native nonmetropolitan populations, compared to their White counterparts. In adjusted analysis, micropolitan respondents reported more barriers compared to metropolitan (prevalence rate ratio = 1.06; 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.10) as did women, racial/ethnic minority populations, and those with less education.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Micropolitan populations experience more barriers to health care, and nonmetropolitan respondents report more cost-related barriers than their metropolitan counterparts, raising concerns on health care disparities and financial burdens for these underserved populations. This underscores the need to mitigate these barriers, particularly among those in micropolitan areas and minorized populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141321872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
George Pro, Jonathan Cantor, Don Willis, Mofan Gu, Brian Fairman, Jure Baloh, Brooke Ee Montgomery
{"title":"A multilevel analysis of changing telehealth availability in opioid use disorder treatment settings: Conditional effects of rurality, the number and types of medication for opioid use disorder available, and time, US, 2016-2023.","authors":"George Pro, Jonathan Cantor, Don Willis, Mofan Gu, Brian Fairman, Jure Baloh, Brooke Ee Montgomery","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12854","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12854","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The opioid overdose crisis requires strengthening treatment systems with innovative technologies. How people use telehealth for opioid use disorder (OUD) is evolving and differs in rural versus urban areas, as telehealth is emerging as a local resource and complementary option to in-person treatment. We assessed changing trends in telehealth and medication for OUD (MOUD) and pinpoint locations of low telehealth and MOUD access.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used national data from the Mental health and Addiction Treatment Tracking Repository (2016-2023) to identify specialty outpatient SUD treatment facilities in the United States (N = 83,988). We modeled the availability of telehealth using multilevel multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for covariates. We included a 3-way interaction to test for conditional effects of rurality, the number of MOUD medication types dispensed, and year. We included two random effects to account for clustering within counties and states.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>We identified 495 facilities that offered both telehealth and all three MOUD medication types (methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone) in 2023, clustered in the eastern United States. We identified a statistically significant 3-way interaction (p < 0.0001), indicating that telehealth in facilities that did not offer MOUD shifted from more telehealth in rural facilities in earlier years to more telehealth in urban facilities in later years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Treatment facilities that offer both telehealth and all three MOUD medication types may improve access for hard-to-reach populations. We stress the importance of continued health system strengthening and technological resources in vulnerable rural communities, while acknowledging a changing landscape of increased OUD incidence and MOUD demand in urban communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141312133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Evelyn Arana-Chicas, Laura M Hincapie Prisco, Saloni Sharma, Fiona Stauffer, Serge Dauphin, Makiko Ban-Hoefen, Jaime Navarette, Jason Zittel, Ana Paula Cupertino, Allison Magnuson, Karen M Mustian, Supriya G Mohile
{"title":"Barriers to participation in clinical trials of rural older adult cancer survivors: A qualitative study.","authors":"Evelyn Arana-Chicas, Laura M Hincapie Prisco, Saloni Sharma, Fiona Stauffer, Serge Dauphin, Makiko Ban-Hoefen, Jaime Navarette, Jason Zittel, Ana Paula Cupertino, Allison Magnuson, Karen M Mustian, Supriya G Mohile","doi":"10.1111/jrh.12852","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jrh.12852","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Currently, 64% of cancer survivors are aged 65+. Older cancer survivors have unique complications after chemotherapy and are often excluded from cancer clinical trials. Although there is research on barriers to clinical trial participation of older adult cancer survivors, to date no research has explored barriers to clinical trial participation unique to rural older adult cancer survivors.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study is a secondary qualitative analysis from a study exploring survivorship challenges of rural older adults. Eligible participants were rural residents over age 65 who have completed curative-intent chemotherapy in the past 12 months. Participants (n = 27) completed open-ended semi-structured interviews that included questions on barriers to clinical trial participation. Transcripts were coded independently by two coders using thematic analysis. We have adhered to the standards for reporting qualitative research.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Participants reported a variety of barriers that included limited knowledge and fear about clinical trials, transportation challenges, their physicians not informing them of clinical trials, and thinking they are too old to participate in clinical trials. However, participants also reported facilitators to participating in clinical trials, including acknowledging benefits to their own health and society, and understanding the importance of clinical trials.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Rural older cancer survivors face numerous interpersonal, intrapersonal, and organizational barriers to clinical trial participation. Aging- and location-sensitive interventions that focus on patients, their caregivers, and health care providers may lead to improved participation of rural older adult survivors into clinical trials.</p>","PeriodicalId":50060,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Rural Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2024-06-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141285123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}