Families of children with developmental disabilities in rural and underserved areas may lack access to direct service providers. Global pandemics such as COVID-19 have further affected access to service providers for most children, often shifting services online and increasing the role of technology and involvement of parents and caregivers in…

In recent years, and especially due to COVID-19, a large number of telehealth interventions have been implemented. The large amount of information requires a differential analysis with an emphasis on rurality and the practice of parents/caregivers in the care and attention of children. The objectives of this study were to synthesize the available…

Maternal mortality, largely stemming from complications during pregnancy and childbirth, impacts poor expecting women with limited healthcare access in rural Pakistan. Conditional Cash Transfers (CCTs), commonly implemented in developing nations, are designed to improve the well-being of vulnerable populations by focusing on health and education.…

Background: Rural populations in the USA demonstrate a high degree of vaccine hesitancy, particularly surrounding COVID-19 vaccines. Objectives: Following the successful implementation of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign with a rural-based health system in New York state, the goal of this project was to develop a large community-academic…

Adolescents living in both rural and urban settings experience the same mental health care needs at similar rates, but those living in rural environments experience exacerbated consequences because of localized barriers to receiving support. These barriers are often summarized as the three A's: availability, accessibility, and acceptability.…

Research on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has found significant disparities in access to services and outcomes in rural communities. Little is known about service providers and families of children with ASD who reside in rural communities. The purpose of this study was to learn and describe the barriers and unmet needs experienced by parents and…

Prevalence estimates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) point to geographic and socioeconomic disparities in identification and diagnosis. Estimating national prevalence rates can limit understanding of local disparities, especially in rural areas where disproportionately higher rates of poverty and decreased healthcare access exist. Using a small…

Behavioral parent training (BPT) is an empirically supported approach for addressing the behavioral concerns of autistic children. However, many families face barriers to accessing BPT. Adapting BPT via telehealth technology may improve access for families, especially those living in rural regions. This study aims to evaluate the implementation of…

Each August, prior to going back to school, all school-age students and their parents in the southeast Ohio community served by the Gallia County Health Department have an opportunity to visit the county health fair. This program, which draws 350 to 400 people each year, is a collaborative effort of the county health department, job and family…

Increasing the health care work force is critical to underserved communities. Unfortunately, students in these areas lack accessibility to the clinical experiences needed to get an introductory understanding of careers in health care. Therefore, a health care experience (HCE) course was created for undergraduate students that included didactic…

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a diagnostic term used to describe an array of structural, neurocognitive, and behavioral effects that result from prenatal alcohol exposure. While ongoing efforts have been made to increase the capacity of communities to provide early FASD diagnosis, there continues to be on-going challenges, particularly…

Previous research suggests that residence in non-metropolitan areas is associated with lower access to preventive care and poorer health. However, this research has been largely restricted to the general population, despite data demonstrating disparities in health status and access to healthcare services for people with intellectual and…

This brief details the significant strides made by the Paradise Unified School District (PUSD) in establishing robust school mental health systems to facilitate healing and recovery. PUSD, which serves the rural communities of Paradise, Magalia, and Stirling City--areas deeply affected by the 2018 Camp Fire--has launched several key initiatives…

Objective: The goal of this study was to report on the development and early usability of a new interactive mHealth app for reducing cardiovascular risk in primary care patients of low socioeconomic status attending clinics in Chile. Design: Mixed-methods design with qualitative and quantitative components. Setting: Three Chilean primary care…

The present dissertation features two studies utilizing secondary data to explore the impact of geography on access to and utilization of early developmental services, including Part C early intervention (EI) and autism diagnosis. Both studies examined the role of geography on a micro-level using geographic information system (GIS) based…