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There have been 188 rural hospital closures in the United States since 2010 with approximately 20% of these in Appalachia. Telehealth has become a way that nurses can reach rural patients who might not otherwise receive health care. The purpose of this paper is to (1) outline the federal policies enacted during COVID-19 for broadband expansion; and (2) suggest how advanced practice nursing care might be affected by broadband expansion and telehealth in the region. A search of PubMed was conducted in January 2023, using the search words, "policy", "telehealth", "broadband", and "Appalachia". New laws appropriated funds to expand broadband infrastructure that made it possible for telehealth to be used by nurses to deliver health care to rural patients. This discussion paper found that broadband legislation was instrumental in expanding telecommunications and telehealth by NPs. There is a great need for broadband to continue to expand and for trained nurses to provide care via telehealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated acceptance of learning from other countries, especially for high-income countries to learn from low- and middle-income countries, a practice known as global learning. COVID-19’s rapid disease transmission underscored how connected the globe is as well as revealed stark health inequities which facilitated looking outside of one’s borders for solutions. The Global Learning for Health Equity (GL4HE) Network, supported by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, held a 3-part webinar series in December 2021 to understand the current state of global learning and explore how global learning can advance health equity in the post-COVID-19 era. This paper reflects on these cutting-edge discussions about the current state of global learning, drawing upon the highlights, perspectives, and conclusions that emerged from these webinars. The paper also comments on best practices for global learning, including adapting for context, addressing biases, funding considerations, ensuring bidirectional partnerships, community engagement, and adopting a multidisciplinary approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical mistrust among the public was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic due to racial and social inequities in infection rates and misinformation in the media. In Boston, two initiatives were launched by the Boston University Clinical Translational Science Institute (BU CTSI), Boston Medical Center (BMC), community health centers (CHCs), and community organizations to establish longitudinal and authentic partnerships with community-research boundary spanners who remained trusted sources of information. Each initiative addressed the immediate need for community-informed and partnered COVID research and provided a structure for longitudinal partnerships. In this paper, we describe the process of envisioning how these two initiatives could move from isolation toward collective impact. We also identify opportunities to improve community-engaged research practices within an academic health system. Our approach provides a structure that other organizations can use to align initiatives and move toward boundary-crossing partnerships which foster health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper first explores spatial distributions and patterns of COVID-19 case rates (cases/100,000 people) and mortality rates (deaths/100,000 people) and their disparities between urban and rural counties in the contiguous US. A county-level social vulnerability index was created using principal component analysis. Social vulnerability components were regressed against both county case and mortality rates. Results suggest that hotspots of case and mortality rates are clustered in Midwest and Upper-Midwest US. We found substantial disparities in case and mortality rates between urban and rural counties. County social vulnerability was positively correlated with both case and mortality rates suggesting counties with higher social vulnerability had higher case and mortality rates. Relationships between social vulnerability components and case and mortality rates vary across the conterminous US. Additionally, counties with increased racial and ethnic minorities, higher percentages of minors, and lower median household income are associated with higher COVID-19 case and mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe in January of 2020 causing mass panic and extreme hysteria. While pandemics are not new, COVID-19 is emerging as a public health crisis in nearly every household in America. In this paper, I discuss how COVID-19 has ravaged one of the wealthiest African American counties in the United States. Using Public Health Critical Race Praxis (PHCR) I seek to examine how disparities exist in health care and public funding is not equally distributed regardless of wealth and status for minoritized communities. Using PCHR's framework I highlight many of the disparities that exist in health care for people of color during this global health crisis and provide implications for improvement in federal, state, and local funding in communities of color. This article advances scholarship on the intersection between public health and social work particularly alluding to the need for increased advocacy for marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perceptions of oncology health care providers use of telehealth to provide care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic were explored. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling (N = 30) was conducted. Four themes emerged: 1) telehealth provided continuity of cancer care and used to decrease the risk of COVID-19 exposure; 2) advantages brought about convenience and inclusion of family caregivers; 3) telehealth revealed geographic, aging, and racial/ethnic disparities and digital illiteracy; and 4) rapid implementation was challenging. Telehealth provides a number of opportunities to support care for vulnerable cancer patients during this health crisis; however, disparities must be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, neuropsychologists rapidly adopted teleneuropsychology (TeleNP) services to ensure continued clinical care. Prior to COVID-19, TeleNP was not widely used nor was it included in the majority of traditional practice or training models across graduate, internship, and postdoctoral programs. Out of necessity, the pandemic was a catalyst that promoted greater adoption of TeleNP services. In response, neuropsychological guidelines for modified assessments were developed and further empirical studies have been published. Numerous surveys in response to service delivery changes during COVID-19 now exist, but what follows is a commentary based on neuropsychologists' experiences with adapting clinical practice to TeleNP. Methods: Co-authors represent settings across academic medical centers, Veterans Affairs hospitals, and private practices that serve multiculturally diverse pediatric, adult, and geriatric populations in the United States. Results: The perspectives within this commentary aim to highlight the growth of TeleNP and highlight lessons learned from implementation across practice settings. Conclusions: Our goal is to help foster the development of further empirical studies through candid discussion of various TeleNP experiences and approaches. Through this reflective process, TeleNP presents both opportunities and challenges but it ultimately has potential to reduce healthcare disparities and enhance patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic signaled a lasting and ongoing history of racism in the United States. These events were a reminder to reexamine the condition of Asians and Asian Americans in the field of social work in the U.S. The purpose of this article is to support inter-solidarity movements in social work to uplift the lived experiences of Asian Americans with four recommendations: conceptualizing and positioning the Asian American identity, acknowledging the heterogeneity of the Asian American population, integrating Asian American history in the social work curriculum, and using research strategies to address anti-Asian racism uplift the experiences of Asian Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on socioeconomic and racial/ethnic inequality being the major determinants of longevity. Topics include racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities being particularly marked in mortality and/or morbidity from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes; and adults with lower education, higher poverty level, in manual occupations, and with rental housing having substantially lower life expectancy.

America's housing affordability crisis has had various indirect costs on health and safety among people living with disability. The skyrocketing housing prices have exponentially increased with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic leaving many people at risk for eviction after federal and local moratoriums providing protection during the pandemic expire. Americans with disabilities have been particularly affected by the affordability crisis and it is expected that this major public health problem will only grow as government-provided protections and supports wane. It is critical that both government and various housing organizations consider ways to support affordability, quality, and accessibility in this particularly hard-hit population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]