Rural Health Information
Clearinghouse (RHIC)
E-mail Alert
February 1, 2008
Comments or questions? Please contact Rita Smith at smith_rb@mercer.edu or 478-301-2827. The RHIC Alert is a service of the Mercer University Medical Library.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Study Finds Rural Residents Get Fewer Organ Transplants
2. Healthy Food Choices Scarcer in Rural Areas, Study Says
3. Characteristics of Frequent Emergency Department Users
4. New Rural Homelessness Capacity Building Program Launched
5. Georgia Update on Medicare Advantage Enrollment
6. Rural Health Funding Opportunities
7. Rural Health Current Literature Alert— February 2008
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1. Study Finds Rural Residents Get Fewer Organ Transplants
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Americans living in small towns and rural areas are less likely to get organ transplants or be placed on waiting lists for transplants, according to a recently published study. The study of almost 175,000 potential transplant recipients showed that those living outside metropolitan centers "were 8 percent to 15 percent less likely to be wait-listed and 10 percent to 20 percent less likely to undergo heart, liver and kidney transplantation than patients in urban environments," the report said. The study is published in the Jan. 9/16, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. More information is available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_59838.html.
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2. Healthy Food Choices Scarcer in Rural Areas, Study Says
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A new study from South Carolina shows rural families may have a tougher time putting healthy foods on the table because rural areas tend to have a greater percentage of convenience stores, which offer far fewer choices of fresh vegetables and fruits. The study of Orangeburg County, S.C., found that about three quarters of the county's food stores were convenience stores, and only about a quarter were grocery stores or supermarkets. The study was published in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association and is available online at http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS0002822307016227/fulltext.
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3. Characteristics of Frequent Emergency Department Users
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A new Kaiser Family Foundation report examines the demographic and health characteristics of people who frequently use hospital Emergency Departments (ED) and how the risk of being a High ED User varies based on these characteristics. Findings suggest that persons who frequently utilize ED services may not be using the ED as a “substitute” for primary care, but rather appear to be living with chronic conditions and in need of more health care services overall. The report is available at http://www.kff.org/insurance/upload/7696.pdf
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4. New Rural Homelessness Capacity Building Program Launched
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The new Rural Homelessness Capacity Building website from the Housing Assistance Council offers technical assistance, audio-web trainings, and online information for organizations serving rural homeless populations. Selected organizations working in high need communities will also receive grants to pursue capacity building activities. Visit http://www.ruralhome.org/rhcbindex2.php for more information.
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5. Georgia Update on Medicare Advantage Enrollment
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New state-by-state reports from the Rural Policy Research Institute compare MA enrollment in December 2005 to that in September 2007, including information on overall and rural enrollment in all MA plans. The reports also show the growth in enrollment in private fee-for-service plans over this period and discuss the policy implications of these enrollment changes. Georgia’s report is available at http://www.unmc.edu/ruprihealth/Pubs/statesheets/Georgia.pdf
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6. Rural Health Funding Opportunities
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***SAMHSA
to Fund Residential Treatment for New Mothers***
Deadline: March 18, 2008|
http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2008/ti_08_009.aspx
SAMHSA’s grant program for residential treatment for pregnant & postpartum women will help to expand the availability of comprehensive, high quality residential treatment, recovery support, and family services for pregnant and postpartum women who suffer from alcohol and other drug problems, and their minor children impacted by perinatal and environmental effects of maternal substance use and abuse. In addition, grantees are encouraged to include fathers of the children, partners of the women, and other extended family members of the women and children in treatment in the target population when their inclusion in non-residential treatment services is deemed appropriate and beneficial.
***Quality
Improvement Grants for Small Rural Health Care Providers***
Deadline: Letter of intent (required) - February 8, 2008; Application - March
20, 2008
http://ruralhealth.hrsa.gov/funding/SHCPQI.asp#purpose
The purpose of the Office of Rural Health Policy's Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Grant Program (SHCPQI) is to assist rural providers with the implementation of quality improvement strategies, while improving patient care and chronic disease outcomes. Improving the quality of chronic disease management in ambulatory care settings can improve health indicators and decrease emergency room visits and admissions to hospitals. SHCPQI will focus on quality improvement for chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.
***Grants
to Drug Free Communities Coalitions***
Deadline: March 21, 2008
http://www.ondcp.gov/dfc/potentialgrantees.html
SAMHSA has announced the availability of new Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program funds. It expects to award approximately 150 new grants to community drug prevention coalitions throughout the United States. DFCSP grants are available to eligible coalitions in amounts of up to $100,000 for a 12-month period. The coalition must have the reduction of substance abuse among youth as a principal mission. The coalition’s goals and objectives must target multiple drugs and address the two major goals of the Drug Free Communities Support Program. The program gives priority to economically disadvantaged areas or counties in which 20% or more of the children are living in a household below the poverty line, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau.
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Capacity Expansion for Substance Abuse Treatment and HIV/AIDS Services***
Deadline: March 27, 2008
http://samhsa.gov/Grants/2008/ti_08_006.aspx
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment is accepting applications for fiscal year 2008 funds for grants to enhance and expand substance abuse treatment and/or outreach and pretreatment services in conjunction with HIV/AIDS services in African American, Latino/Hispanic, and/or other racial and ethnic communities highly affected by the twin epidemics of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS.
***SAMHSA
to Fund Mental Health Services for Older Adults***
Deadline: March 28, 2008
http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2008/sm_08_008.aspx
The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration is offering grants to help communities provide direct services and build the necessary infrastructure to support expanded services for meeting the diverse mental health needs of older persons. The target population of older adults, for the purpose of this program, is defined as persons 60 years and older who are at risk for or are experiencing mental health problems.
***Robert
Wood Johnson Funds Nursing Faculty***
Deadline: April 1, 2008
http://www.rwjfnursefacultyscholars.org/
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is offering a new scholars program to develop the next generation of nurse leaders in academia and boost the stature of junior faculty in nursing schools. The RWJF Nurse Faculty Scholars program will provide up to $350,000 to outstanding junior nursing faculty to help them advance in their fields and seek faculty positions earlier in their careers by providing mentorship, leadership training, and research support.
***USDA
Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant Program***
Deadline: April 14, 2008
http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/dlt/dlt.htm
The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program is specifically designed to meet the educational and health care needs of rural America through the use of advanced telecommunications technologies. In the Grant Program, the focus is on funding end-user equipment that operates via telecommunications to connect students and teachers or medical providers and patients in separate rural locations.
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7. Rural Health Current Literature Alert – February 2008
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The latest RHIC current literature alert is available at http://gain.mercer.edu/rhic/rhicbb.asp. Follow the directions online to obtain copies of any of the publications listed, or call Rita Smith at 478-301-2827.
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If you would like to UNSUBSCRIBE from future RHIC E-mail Alerts, please e-mail
me at
smith_rb@mercer.edu.
Rita
Smith, MLIS, AHIP
Outreach and Education Coordinator
Medical Library and LRC
Mercer University School of Medicine
1550 College St.
Macon, GA 31207-0001
478-301-2827 phone
478-301-2051 fax
http://gain.mercer.edu/rhic