Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Policy Implications Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Food Security In Rural America: Evidence From Appalachia, Kathryn M. Cardarelli, Emily M. Dewitt, Rachel Gillespie, Rachel Hogg-Graham, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Janet T. Mullins

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Rural communities are disproportionally affected by food insecurity, making them vulnerable to the consequences of supply disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While access to food was initially diminished due to food supply disruptions, little is known about the mechanisms through which federal emergency assistance programs impacted food access in rural populations. Through a series of five focus groups in spring 2021, we examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food access in a rural Appalachian community in Kentucky. Data were analyzed using a Grounded Theory Approach. Findings revealed the following four primary themes: food scarcity in grocery stores; …

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Among Adults In Rural Appalachia, Heather Norman-Burgdolf, Emily M. Dewitt, Kathryn M. Cardarelli, Rachel Gillespie, Stacey A. Slone, Alison A. Gustafson

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption is decreasing nationally, yet intakes remain high in certain sub-populations as new varieties of SSBs are introduced. This study aims to expand on SSB intake patterns among adults living in Appalachia to develop policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) interventions to reduce consumption. Baseline cohort surveys were conducted to examine beverage consumption patterns of adults in one rural Appalachian county in Kentucky using a validated BEVQ-15 instrument. Ages were collapsed into three generational groups – Millennials (22–38 years), Generation X (39–54 years), and Boomers/Silents (≥55 years). Over half (n = 81; 54%) of the sample (n = …

Access To Health Care In Appalachia: Perception And Reality, Michele Morrone, Cory E. Cronin, Kristin Schuller, Shannon E. Nicks

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Health disparities such as cancer and diabetes are well documented in Appalachia. These disparities contribute to health status, and by many indicators, Appalachian people are less healthy than those who live in other parts of the country. Access to health care is one factor that contributes to health disparities. Access to care is complex and involves both intrinsic and extrinsic aspects, including satisfaction with quality of care. This research sought to compare Appalachian to non-Appalachian communities in terms of perceptions of access to care.

Methods: We implemented a statewide survey to quantify perceptions of multiple components of …

Understanding Polarizing Community Perspectives On Harm Reduction Strategies: Challenges To Addressing The Opioid Crisis In Appalachian Pennsylvania, Stephanie L. Creasy Mph, Jessica R. Thompson Med, Christina F. Mair Phd, Jessica G. Burke Phd

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Rural communities face barriers to opioid treatment and overdose prevention including concerns about stigma and lack of harm reduction services.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore community perspectives and understanding of harm reduction approaches to opioid use and overdose in a high-risk Northern Appalachian case community in Pennsylvania.

Methods: A small town approximately 10 miles from Pittsburgh was identified as the community with the greatest predicted probabilities of epidemic outbreak using posteriors from spatial models of hospitalizations for opioid use disorders. We interviewed 20 key stakeholders in the case community in using a semi-structured interview guide …

Case Study Of A Comprehensive Team-Based Approach To Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening, Lauren E. Wright, Adam Baus, Andrea Calkins, Holly Hartman-Adams, Mary E. Conn, Susan Eason, Stephenie Kennedy-Rea

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women in West Virginia. In addition, 51% of all colorectal cancers diagnosed in West Virginia from 2012 to 2016 were detected at either regional (31%) or distant (20%) stages indicating a need for improved early detection.

Methods: West Virginia University Cheat Lake Physicians participated in the West Virginia Program to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening, a program of Cancer Prevention and Control at the WVU Cancer Institute. As a result, Cheat Lake Physicians assembled a team of health care professionals to implement evidence-based interventions and …

Diabetes Knowledge, Behaviors, And Perceptions Of Risk In Rural West Virginia Counties, Ranjita Misra, Sara Farjo, Renee Mcginnis, Megan Adelman Elavsky, Summer Kuhn, Catherine Morton-Mcswain

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: A little less than half of American adults have diabetes or pre-diabetes. In 2016, West Virginia (WV) had the highest percentage (15.2%) of adults with diagnosed diabetes in the U.S.

Purpose: In partnership with the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA), a cross-sectional study was preformed to assess knowledge, behaviors, and perceptions of diabetes risk.

Methods: Data was collected by trained HSTA students and teachers who lived in rural counties in WV. Information was assessed using validated surveys, and HbA1c was obtained by utilizing professional point-of-care (Bayer) kits.

Results: Mean age and Body Mass Index (BMI) was 36.11±17.86 years …

Development Of A Multilevel Intervention To Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening In Appalachia, Aaron J. Kruse-Diehr, Jill M. Oliveri, Robin C. Vanderpool, Mira L. Katz, Paul L. Reiter, Darrell M. Gray Ii, Michael L. Pennell, Gregory S. Young, Bin Huang, Darla Fickle, Mark Cromo, Melinda Rogers, David Gross, Ashley Gibson, Jeanne Jellison, Michael D. Sarap, Tonia A. Bivens, Tracy D. Mcguire, Ann Scheck Mcalearney, Timothy R. Huerta, Saurabh Rahurkar, Electra D. Paskett, Mark B. Dignan

Health, Behavior & Society Faculty Publications

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are lower in Appalachian regions of the United States than in non-Appalachian regions. Given the availability of various screening modalities, there is critical need for culturally relevant interventions addressing multiple socioecological levels to reduce the regional CRC burden. In this report, we describe the development and baseline findings from year 1 of “Accelerating Colorectal Cancer Screening through Implementation Science (ACCSIS) in Appalachia,” a 5-year, National Cancer Institute Cancer Moonshot^SM-funded multilevel intervention (MLI) project to increase screening in Appalachian Kentucky and Ohio primary care clinics.

Methods

Project development was theory-driven and included the …

Exploring Covid-19 Case Fatality In Relation To The Prevalence Of Chronic Conditions And Health Behaviors In Appalachian Kentucky, W. Jay Christian

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: Research has demonstrated that common chronic conditions, especially those related to cardiovascular health, are important risk factors for severe COVID-19 symptoms or hospitalization. Population prevalence rates of such conditions have not previously been examined in relation to COVID-19 case fatality rates in the Central Appalachian region.

Purpose: This study examined prevalence rates of selected chronic conditions and COVID-19 case fatality rates to determine whether the relationship between them is consistent across Appalachian and non-Appalachian regions of Kentucky.

Methods: Data from Kentucky’s Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (KyBRFS) were used to calculate prevalence rates of asthma, diabetes, influenza vaccination, hypertension, obesity, …