Rural Health Commons^™

Disparities In Access To Medicare-Approved Medical Specialists In Rural Kentucky, Logan Hurm, Jacob A. Welch, James Adkins

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Approximately 20% of the United States population resides in a rural community; however, only 10% of all healthcare resources and physicians are dedicated to these areas. Appalachia, and Kentucky (KY) in particular, have higher populations living in rural areas which leads to a greater number of individuals affected by medical access disparities. As of 2026, 21% of KY’s population is eligible for Medicare, making access to Medicare-accepting specialty physicians crucial for the state’s population.

Purpose: This research aims to quantify healthcare disparities among rural communities in KY through quantification of the potential distance required to travel to access specialty …

Environmental Predictors Of Human Lyme Disease Incidence Across Appalachian Counties In Kentucky, Virginia, And West Virginia, 2000-2019, Karlie D. Rennison

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

This ecological study examined county-level environmental, landscape, and host-related predictors of Lyme disease incidence across Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia from 2000-2019. Lyme disease is an emerging public health concern in the Appalachian region, where geographic expansion and shifting ecological conditions may influence disease risk.

Lyme disease case rates (per 10,000 population) were analyzed in relation to climate variables, land cover metrics, host density measures, and rurality using publicly available data sources. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between candidate predictors and disease incidence.

Substantial geographic variation in Lyme disease incidence was observed, with higher case rates …