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A Rural/Urban Comparison Of Privacy And Confidentiality Concerns Associated With Providing Sensitive Location Information In Epidemiologic Research Involving Persons Who Use Drugs, Abby E. Rudolph, April M. Young, Jennifer R. Havens

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background—Analyses that link contextual factors with individual-level data can improve our understanding of the "risk environment"; however, the accuracy of information provided by participants about locations where illegal/stigmatized behaviors occur may be influenced by privacy/confidentiality concerns that may vary by setting and/or data collection approach.

Methods—We recruited thirty-five persons who use drugs from a rural Appalachian town and a Mid-Atlantic city to participate in in-depth interviews. Through thematic analyses, we identified and compared privacy/confidentiality concerns associated with two survey methods that (1) collect self-reported addresses/cross-streets and (2) use an interactive web-based map to find/confirm locations in rural and …

Marketing Strategies To Encourage Rural Residents Of High-Obesity Counties To Buy Fruits And Vegetables In Grocery Stores, Emily Liu, Tammy Stephenson, Jessica Houlihan, Alison Gustafson

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Introduction

Obesity rates in Appalachia are among the highest in the United States, and knowledge of upstream approaches to decrease prevalence among this vulnerable population is limited. The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between healthy, diet-based, social marketing interventions in grocery stores and frequency of fruit and vegetable intake.

Methods

A social marketing campaign was conducted among 17 grocery stores (N = 240 participant surveys) over 4 months in 5 rural Kentucky counties. Interventions included providing food samples, recipe cards, and promotional discounts on fruits and vegetables and moving high-calorie foods to side aisles.

Results …

Healthcare Contact And Treatment Uptake Following Hepatitis C Virus Screening And Counseling Among Rural Appalachian People Who Use Drugs, Dustin B. Stephens, April M. Young, Jennifer R. Havens

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Background—Hepatitis C virus (HCV) remains a major contributor to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Since 2009, Kentucky has led the United States in cases of acute HCV, driven largely by injection drug use in rural areas. Improved treatment regimens hold promise of mitigating the impact and transmission of HCV, but numerous barriers obstruct people who inject drugs (PWID) from receiving care, particularly in medically underserved settings.

Methods—503 rural people who use drugs were recruited using respondent-driven sampling and received HCV screening and post-test counseling. Presence of HCV antibodies was assessed using enzyme immunoassay of dried blood samples. Sociodemographic and …

Self-Collected Vaginal Swabs For Hpv Screening: An Exploratory Study Of Rural Black Mississippi Women, Richard A. Crosby, Michael E. Hagensee, Rebecca Fisher, Lindsay R. Stradtman, Tom Collins

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

Objectives. To determine the post-procedure acceptability of self-collecting a vaginal swab for HPV testing among a highly impoverished and geographically isolated population of medically underserved Black women residing in the Mississippi Delta. Further, to test correlates of reporting that self-collection is preferred over Pap testing. Finally, to determine the prevalence of any of 13 high-risk HPV types among this population and the correlates of testing positive.

Methods. Eighty-eight women were recruited from two churches located in different towns of the Mississippi Delta. After completing a survey, women were provided instructions for self-collecting a cervico-vaginal swab and completing a post-collection survey. …

Community To Clinic Navigation To Improve Diabetes Outcomes, Nancy E. Schoenberg, Gabriele Ciciurkaite, Mary Kate Greenwood

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Rural residents experience rates of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) that are considerably higher than their urban or suburban counterparts. Two primary modifiable factors, self-management and formal clinical management, have potential to greatly improve diabetes outcomes. “Community to Clinic Navigation to Improve Diabetes Outcomes,” is the first known randomized clinical trial pilot study to test a hybrid model of diabetes self-management education plus clinical navigation among rural residents with T2DM. Forty-one adults with T2DM were recruited from two federally qualified health centers in rural Appalachia from November 2014–January 2015. Community health workers provided navigation, including helping participants understand and implement …

Acceptability Of Hiv Testing Sites Among Rural And Urban African Americans Who Use Cocaine, D. Keith Branham, Tyrone F. Borders, Katharine E. Stewart, Geoffrey M. Curran, Brenda M. Booth

Health Management and Policy Faculty Publications

African Americans (AAs) who use cocaine in the Southern region of the U.S. have a relatively high risk of HIV and need for HIV testing. Among this group, those residing in rural areas may have less favorable opinions about common HIV testing sites, which could inhibit HIV testing. We examined rural/urban variations in their acceptability of multiple HIV testing sites (private physician clinic, local health department, community health center, community HIV fair, hospital emergency department, blood plasma donation center, drug abuse treatment facility, and mobile van or community outreach worker). Results from partial proportional odds and logistic regression analyses indicate …