Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Finding A Good Fit: Tips On Hiring Rural Personal Assistants, Rayna A. Sage, Krys Standley

Health and Wellness

Living in rural areas means being part of close communities. For people with disabilities in these areas, Personal Assistance Services (PAS) help them live on their own. But finding good PAS workers in rural places can be hard. To help you pick the right PAS worker, we explored what traits make them a good fit.

Project Dig Summary Report, Tracy Boehm Barrett, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are commonly overlooked in society because of a combination of social, economic, political, and cultural barriers. Due to such constraints, they also experience a wide range of health and community disparities that result in negative impact on their quality of life and well-being (Mpofu et al., 2020; Akyurek & Bumin, 2017). While many community-based organizations provide a variety of supports for people with disabilities, far less common are those providing therapeutic horticulture (TH) programs within the scope of their services. This report provides information about and recommendations for TH as an increased practice …

Toward An Equity-Driven Conceptual Model Of Covid-19 Vaccine Decision-Making For People With Idd, Lydia Ocasio-Stoutenburg, Reese Triana, Shelly Baer, Jairo Arana, Ana C. Sale, Douglene Jackson, Michelle Schladant, Nastasia Boulos, Grace Dima, Jeffrey Brosco

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

COVID-19 presented a public health emergency in the U.S., resulting in severe illness, hospitalizations, high mortality rates, and long-term adverse health care conditions. Several studies examined the disparities in transmission rates, barriers to care, and negative health outcomes for persons with disabilities, particularly people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). While data revealed similar trends among Black, Hispanic or Latino/a/x/e, Native, Indigenous, and Asian people, outcomes are compounded for people of color with I/DD. Several historical, pervasive, systemic, structural, and attitudinal barriers have constrained healthcare access and adequate treatment, instigating feelings of distrust among those in systems of care. Although …

Creating Rural Community Outreach Materials Related To Covid-19 And Disability, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

RTC:Rural researchers led by Andrew Myers present best practices in rural COVID-19 outreach based on feedback from regional rural disability leaders.

Equitable Vaccine Access Within An Age-Based Framework, Alan B. Cobo-Lewis

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

Objectives: When vaccine supply was limited, several states adopted age-based prioritization for Covid-19 vaccine eligibility because it is simple (especially when age is quantized by decade) and age is strongly associated with Covid-19 mortality. But this approach raises equity concerns based in law and ethics. I propose data-driven solutions for equitable policy within an age-based framework. Methods: Using CDC and Census Bureau data, I analyzed 538,627 U.S. Covid-19 deaths by age and race-ethnicity through February 2021 and compared the risk ratios to published data on risk ratios for other conditions. Results: Covid-19 mortality rose 2.56-fold per decade of life. Down …

Low Acceptance Of Helmet-Use And Injuries From Motorcycle Accidents In Rawalpindi And Abbottabad, Pakistan, Maryam Siddiqa, Gulzar H. Shah, A. Munam

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Background: Motorcycle accidents are a major cause of head injuries and the current study evaluated the beneficial impact and effectiveness of helmet usage among injured Motorcycle users. This study has been performed to observe the Motorcycle collisions within 6 months in Rawalpindi and Abbottabad cities of Pakistan

Objectives: Implications of helmet usage were assessed and the risk factors for severe injury during motorcycle accidents were identified.

Results: The multivariate analysis indicated that riders without a helmet were more likely to experience severe (AOR, 2.216; 95% CI, 2.02 to 10.5) or moderate injury (AOR, 1.215; 95% CI, 0.84 …

Research Report: Social Isolation And Loneliness Experiences Among People With Disabilities Before And During Covid-19, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Increased risk and fear of exposure to COVID-19 may impact social isolation and loneliness among vulnerable populations who are disproportionately at risk of COVID-19 complications, like people with disabilities. In a previous report, research findings showed people with disabilities experienced more than double the rates of social isolation and loneliness compared to those without disabilities before the COVID-19 pandemic. While recent data indicates rates of social isolation and loneliness have increased for the general population with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, less is known how rates of social isolation and loneliness have shifted for people with disabilities. Data in …

Social Isolation And Loneliness Among Rural And Urban People With Disabilities, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Social connection is the experience of interacting with and feeling connected to other people. A lack of social connections can lead to social isolation and loneliness. Social isolation is an objective measure based on a limited number of social connections. Loneliness is the perception of being isolated or feeling alone. Both social isolation and loneliness are associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Researchers used data from two national surveys to understand the experiences of social isolation and loneliness among people with disabilities. Findings indicate people with disabilities report higher rates of social isolation and loneliness than people without …

People With Disabilities Still At Risk In Congregate Care Settings, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

This report provides an analysis of data to better understand where cases and deaths are rising in nursing homes as of August 8 2021. We hope this analysis can help support local community planning and networking among rural partners to improve outcomes.

• COVID-19 cases among residents and staff are on the rise in nursing homes with the steepest increases in urban areas and in the South and Midwest.
• Disabled people are disproportionately overrepresented in the resident populations of unsafe congregate settings, such as nursing homes.
• Vaccination rates across both residents and staff in nursing homes have stagnated.
• Policy priorities should …

America At A Glance: Covid-19 Vaccination Among People With Disabilities, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

There is a lack of foucs on how people with disabilities are experiencing COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Addressing this knowledge gap is critical to ensuring that people with disabilities are considered as vaccination efforts progress during the ongoing pandemic and future health crises. Overall, 19% of our sample of people with disabilities reported already being vaccinated, 56% wanted to get vaccinated, 10% were unsure, and 15% did not want to be vaccinated. Rural residents with disabilities reported higher rates of current vaccination, but higher rates of overall hesitancy, and more barriers to vaccination than urban residents with disabilities. Political party affiliation …

Healthy Community Living: An Update On Outcomes, Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., Tracy Boehm Barrett, Tannis Mardece Hargrove, Justice Ender, Mary Willard, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

The Healthy Community Living (HCL) program combines independent living skills training with health promotion to support self-determination and health status of adults with disabilities. It includes two workshop curricula, Community Living Skills and Living Well in the Community. Each of these provides a framework for workshop participants to increase peer support while building their individual capacity to live independently and maintain their health. The HCL Program weaves consumer choice and control throughout all of the workshop sessions by guiding consumers to identify their own goals, intentions, and process for reaching them. These workshops can be conducted in face-to-face groups or …

America At A Glance: Social Isolation And Loneliness During The First Wave Of Covid-19, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Social isolation and loneliness are a public health concern because they are associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes and mortality. To learn more about how COVID-19 and related responses (i.e. stay-at-home orders) may contribute to feelings of social isolation and loneliness among people with disabilities, we compared data from two cross-sectional samples collected before and after the first wave of “stay-at-home” orders. Post-COVID rural and urban samples reported significantly more interactions with family and close friends. Post-COVID urban respondents reported significantly lower rates of feeling left out, while the post-COVID rural respondents reported similar rates.

The Impact Of Location On Healthcare Access For Individuals With Disabilities, Addison Kimber

Honors Scholar Theses

This paper analyzes healthcare access for individuals with disabilities living in rural areas. In current political discussion, we typically think of insurance coverage as the metric to analyze healthcare access. However, as demonstrated by studies of healthcare in the United Kingdom, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to health care even with universal healthcare systems. In particular, individuals in rural areas have less healthcare access than urban residents. This is due to factors including socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, access to competent care, and transportation. This study aims to understand if disability status exacerbates the issue of access in rural …

Effect Of Influenza Vaccination On Mortality And Risk Of Hospitalization In Elderly Individuals With And Without Disabilities: A Nationwide, Population-Based Cohort Study, Yu-Chia Chang, Ho-Jui Tung, Yu-Tung Huang, Chin-Te Lu, Ernawaty Ernawaty, Szu-Yuan Wu

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

Purpose: The effects of influenza vaccines are unclear for elderly individuals with disabilities. We use a population-based cohort study to estimate the effects of influenza vaccines in elderly individuals with and without disabilities. Methods: Data were taken from the National Health Insurance Research Database and Disabled Population Profile of Taiwan. A total of 2,741,403 adults aged 65 or older were identified and 394,490 were people with a disability. These two groups were further divided into those who had or had not received an influenza vaccine. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to compare the relative risks (RRs) of …

Modeling Resilience In Resettled Syrian Refugees With Disabilities, Nicholas Sherwood

Biennial Conference: The Social Practice of Human Rights

Since 2011, the ongoing conflict in Syria has displaced millions of individuals, many of whom are now resettled across foreign borders. The US currently hosts 21,000 Syrian refugees, and of these, at least 5,000 have a form of disability. Furthermore, many US-based resettlement agencies currently experience strain providing the specialized care required by many of these resettled Syrian refugees with disabilities (RSRD) in large part due to austerity measures imposed by the US Federal government. This research project asks of RSRD themselves: given the limitations placed on your care providers, what personal sources of strength do you utilize when you …

Association Between Education And Health Outcomes Among Adults With Disabilities: Evidence From Shanghai, China, Tong Ge, Qi Zhang, Jun Lu, Gang Chen, Mei Sun, Xiaohong Li

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Adults with disabilities often have worse health outcomes than do their peers without disabilities. While education is a key determinant of health, there is little research available on the health disparities across education levels among adults with disabilities in developing countries. We therefore examined the association between health outcomes and education among adults with disabilities in Shanghai, China.

Methods

We used the health examination records of 42,715 adults with disabilities in Shanghai in 2014. Five health outcomes, including two diseases (fatty liver and hemorrhoids) and three risk factors (overweight [body mass index ≥ 24]), high blood glucose, and high …

Accessible Design In Rural Health Care: Usability Profile Of Outpatient Health Care Facilities In Rural West Virginia., Jordan E. Miller

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. Since then, research has shown that people with disabilities continue to experience environmental, systematic, and structural barriers to health care. The purpose of this research is to explore the prevalence of barriers in rural West Virginia health facilities and the relationship between building characteristics (like age and purpose) and accessibility. The researcher evaluated ten rural outpatient member-sites of the West Virginia Practice-Based Research Network using a survey to understand building characteristics and a tool to measure essential features for a facility to be considered ‘usable’. Findings included a negative correlation …

Meaning And Hope In Health Behavior Change: An Examination Of Health Coaching For Individuals With Disabilities, Krys Standley

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Introduction:In an effort to expand the reach of health-promotion efforts for people with disabilities, a one-on-one health promotion intervention titled Health My Way was piloted. This intervention incorporated health coaching and health-promotion curriculum designed specifically for people with disabilities.

Purpose:The intervention was evaluated for its effects on health behavior change. Additionally, personal sense of meaning and hope were examined as potential mechanisms of influence in the hypothesized behavior change process.

Methodology:A convergent-parallel mixed-methods research design was used to examine the research questions. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were used to evaluate changes in levels of meaning, hope, and …

Imagine A World …, David A. Nelson

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

The author and issue editor introduces the second half of Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews’ two-part series on health disparities and inequities in the United States. The chasm between an ideal health care system and the current reality may appear vast, and closing it insurmountable at times, but acknowledging and working to address the many health conditions that disproportionately affect specific patient populations is one step health providers and researchers can take toward closing the gap.

Community Health News, Georgia Southern University

Community Health Department News (2011-2018)

• Georgia Southern Examines the Association between Arthritis and Depression
• Georgia Southern Assesses the Needs of Children in a Former Slave Community
• Georgia Southern Compares Providers’ Perceptions of Challenges and Facilitators to Disability Services

Planning Your Transition From Pediatric To Adult Health Care: A Workbook To Help You Take Charge Of Your Health, Kim Brown, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Are you a child, teen or young adult with special health care needs and/or a disability? If so, this workbook is for you! The workbook is designed to help you take the lead in planning for your transition from pediatric (children’s) health care to adult care. It offers information about preparing for the transition, choosing medical providers, paying for services, taking responsibility for your own health, and much more.

Secondary Mental Health Conditions Of Rural Adults With Disabilities, Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., Bob Liston, Kevin Thorsen, Charles Asp, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

No abstract provided.

Psychiatric Symptoms Reported By A Population-Based Sample Of Rural Adults With Physical And Sensory Impairments, Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., Charles Asp, Bob Liston, Kevin Thorsen, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

No abstract provided.

Cost Containment Through Disability Prevention: Preliminary Results Of A Health Promotion Workshop For People With Physical Disabilities, Tom Seekins Ph.D., Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., Kay Norris Ph.D., Ann Szalda-Petree Ph.D., Quincy-Robyn Young, Glen White Ph.D., Ken Golden M.A., Juan Carlos Lopez M.A., Julie Steward, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

The Disability Prevention Project at the University of Montana and the University of Kansas has developed and evaluated an eight week workshop and self-help manual that targets the prevention and management of secondary conditions among adults with spinal cord injuries. The preliminary results of this intervention are very encouraging.

Secondary Mental Health Conditions Reported By Rural Adults With Mobility And Sensory Impairments, Craig Ravesloot Ph. D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

People with disabilities who live in rural areas experience higher rates of disability than their urban counterparts. At the same time, they have less access to services and supports to address both medical and disability related needs. Based on their circumstances, they may be at greater risk for mental health conditions; however, little is known about their mental health status. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to examine the incidence of mental health symptoms reported by a population-based sample of adults with disabilities, 2) to develop a brief screening instrument to identify adults with disabilities who are experiencing …

Pain And Participation, Catherine Ipsen, Tannis Hargrove, Naomi Kimbell, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

The objective of the Pain Interference Patterns research project is to understand how pain and environmental conditions, like access barriers, affect community participation of people who report physical, sensory and cognitive impairment. The information will be used to develop strategies for increasing participation in rural communities.

Peer Support In Managing Psychiatric Symptoms Of Rural Adults With Mobility And Sensory Impairments, Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Little is known about the mental health of people with disabilities who live in rural America or the potential benefit of providing peer support services for these individuals. Stress diathesis models of psychiatric disorders suggest the challenges of living with a disability in rural areas may predispose individuals to higher rates of psychiatric disorders (Monroe & Simons, 1991). In addition, rural mental health service providers struggle to meet the needs of rural individuals with primary psychiatric diagnoses, and they may not be trained to assist people with disabilities who have secondary mental health conditions (New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, …

A Guide For Creating A Community Resource Map, Lillie Greiman, Tracy Boehm, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Using individualized community resource maps is an engaging way to introduce a consumer to the importance of place and the role the environment plays in health. Below you will find some suggestions for working with a consumer to create a personal community resource map.

Self-Advocacy For Rural American Health (Sarah) Program Overview And Implementation, Tannis Hargrove, Bob Liston, Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

Self-Advocacy for Rural American Health was a program developed for a research project that helped consumers locate community resources to support their health. Those who used community resources to manage health and pursue goals experienced long term positive outcomes.

Rural Self-Management Support, Craig Ravesloot Ph.D., Tracy Boehm, Tannis Hargrove, University Of Montana Rural Institute

Health and Wellness

The Rural Self-Management Support research project used an individually-focused health self-management support intervention to help people with disabilities locate resources for health support in rural America. This intervention led to better long term maintenance of health self-management behaviors compared to the control condition which did not include a focus on locating health resources. Future research will continue to look at how local communities impact long term health.