The Journal of rural health : official journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association
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The purpose of the current study was to evaluate associations between geographic rurality and tobacco use patterns among adolescents. ⋯ The continuous Isolation scale used in the present study predicted polytobacco use patterns among adolescents in a manner that is consistent with, while simultaneously expanding upon, prior work. Tobacco control practices and policies should be viewed through a lens that considers the unique needs of geographically isolated areas.
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To assess rural-urban differences in participation rates of diabetes self-management education and associated factors among Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). ⋯ Recent MCBS data indicate that more than half of Medicare beneficiaries with T2DM did not participate in diabetes self-management education, and the participation rate in rural areas was 7 percentage points lower than that in urban areas. The study findings highlight challenges to maximize the benefits of participating in diabetes self-management education, particularly in rural areas.