Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Geospatial Analysis Of Rurality And Food Banks In Appalachian Ohio, Cooper T. Johnson, Rebecca Fischbein, Kristin Baughman

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Food insecurity is a problem for individuals across Ohio, including those living in Appalachia. Adequate access to resources that help combat food insecurity is important for these populations.

Purpose: To examine how rurality relates to food insecurity and need for food resources, as well as availability of those resources including food pantries and soup kitchens, in 15 northern Ohio Appalachian counties.

Methods: A cross-sectional study with a geographical analysis was conducted using data from the American Community Survey census data, County Health Rankings data, and regional foodbank websites.

Results: Rural counties had a higher ratio of potential clients per …

Establishing Peer Recovery Support Services To Address The Central Appalachian Opioid Epidemic: The West Virginia Peers Enhancing Education, Recovery, And Survival (Wv Peers) Pilot Program, Stephen M. Davis, Amanda Stover, Herb Linn, Jon Dower, Dan Mccawley, Erin Winstanley, Judith Feinberg

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Central Appalachia has been disproportionately affected by the opioid epidemic and overdose fatalities. We developed West Virginia Peers Enhancing Education, Recovery, and Survival (WV PEERS), a program based on peer recovery support, to engage individuals using opioids and link them with a range of services.

Methods: Community partners providing services to individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) were identified and collaborations were formalized using a standardized memorandum of understanding. The program was structured to offer ongoing peer recovery support specialist (PRSS) services, not just a one-time referral. A website and cards describing the WV PEERS program were developed and …

Poll Finds Rural Residents More Hesitant To Get Vaccinated, Tim Marema

Journal of Appalachian Health

Rural residents are more hesitant than their metropolitan counterparts to get a Covid-19 vaccination, even though rural areas have higher rates of infections and deaths from the coronavirus.

A Description Of Covid-19 Lifestyle Restrictions Among A Sample Of Rural Appalachian Women, Michele Staton, Martha Tillson, J. Matthew Webster

Journal of Appalachian Health

Background: COVID-19 has led to swift federal and state response to control virus transmission, which has resulted in unprecedented lifestyle changes for U.S. citizens including social distancing and isolation. Understanding the impact of COVID-19 lifestyle restrictions and related behavioral risks is important, particularly among individuals who may be more vulnerable (such as rural women with a history of substance use living in Appalachia).

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to better understand the perceptions of lifestyle changes due to COVID-19 restrictions among this vulnerable group.

Methods: The study included a mixed methods survey with a convenience sample of …

In-Store Marketing Campaign To Promote The Purchase Of Healthy Foods And Beverages At Convenience Stores In Rural Kentucky, Brynnan Nicole Jacobs Dunaway

Theses and Dissertations--Nutrition and Food Systems

The prevalence of obesity is greater in rural communities, and current health promotion interventions have not shown broad positive impacts on dietary patterns in these areas. Focusing community-based efforts on unconventional food retailers is a unique avenue to encourage healthier food choices in rural populations. This study used shelf-wobblers to market healthier snack and beverage items at convenience stores (n=5) in a rural Kentucky county. Selection of healthy snacks and beverages from the store inventory was conducted using the CDC Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities calculator. Items were sorted into four categories: meal replacement snacks, high-protein snacks, low-fat carbohydrate …

Clinician Identified Barriers To Treatment For Individuals In Appalachia With Opioid Use Disorder Following Release From Prison: A Social Ecological Approach, Amanda M. Bunting, Carrie B. Oser, Michele Staton, Katherine S. Eddens, Hannah K. Knudsen

Sociology Faculty Publications

Background: The non-medical use of opioids has reached epidemic levels nationwide, and rural areas have been particularly affected by increasing rates of overdose mortality as well as increases in the prison population. Individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) are at increased risk for relapse and overdose upon reentry to the community due to decreased tolerance during incarceration. It is crucial to identify barriers to substance use disorder treatment post-release from prison because treatment can be particularly difficult to access in resource-limited rural Appalachia.

Methods: A social ecological framework was utilized to examine barriers to community-based substance use treatment among individuals …

Mental Health Treatment Seeking Patterns And Preferences Of Appalachian Women With Depression, Claire Snell-Rood, Emily Hauenstein, Carl G. Leukefeld, Frances Feltner, Amber Marcum, Nancy E. Schoenberg

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

This qualitative study explored social-cultural factors that shape treatment seeking behaviors among depressed rural, low-income women in Appalachia—a region with high rates of depression and a shortage of mental health services. Recent research shows that increasingly rural women are receiving some form of treatment and identifying their symptoms as depression. Using purposive sampling, investigators recruited 28 depressed low-income women living in Appalachian Kentucky and conducted semistructured interviews on participants’ perceptions of depression and treatment seeking. Even in this sample of women with diverse treatment behaviors (half reported current treatment), participants expressed ambivalence about treatment and its potential to promote recovery. …

Colorectal Cancer Prevention: Perspectives Of Key Players From Social Networks In A Low-Income Rural Us Region, Nancy E. Schoenberg, Kathryn Eddens, Adam Jonas, Claire Snell-Rood, Christina R. Studts, Benjamin Broder-Oldach, Mira L. Katz

Behavioral Science Faculty Publications

Social networks influence health behavior and health status. Within social networks, “key players” often influence those around them, particularly in traditionally underserved areas like the Appalachian region in the USA. From a total sample of 787 Appalachian residents, we identified and interviewed 10 key players in complex networks, asking them what comprises a key player, their role in their network and community, and ideas to overcome and increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Key players emphasized their communication skills, resourcefulness, and special occupational and educational status in the community. Barriers to CRC screening included negative perceptions of the colonoscopy screening procedure, …