Featured Reports
The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey
June 2020
Kelvin Pollard and Linda A. Jacobsen
Population Reference Bureau
This study examines state- and county-level data for the 13 Appalachian states on topics including population, age, race, ethnicity, housing, education, labor force, employment, income, poverty, health insurance, disability status, and migration.
Abstract & Report Contents
The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey
May 2019
Kelvin Pollard and Linda A. Jacobsen
Population Reference Bureau
This study examines state- and county-level data for the 13 Appalachian states on topics including population, age, race, ethnicity, housing, education, labor force, employment, income, poverty, health insurance, disability status, and migration.
Abstract & Report Contents
Issue Brief
Health Disparities Related to Obesity in Appalachia
Practical Strategies and Recommendations for Communities
April 2019
Kate Beatty, Nathan Hale, Michael Meit, Megan Heffernan, Michelle Dougherty, Luciana Rocha, Kelsey Ruane, and Ginny Kidwell.
East Tennessee State University, NORC at the University of Chicago’s Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, Appalachian Regional Commission
This brief summarizes relevant health statistics, offers key strategies and resources for communities to explore, and provides recommendations aimed at reducing health disparities in the Appalachian Region related to obesity.
Abstract & Report Contents
Full Report in PDF (1 MB)
Issue Brief
Health Disparities Related to Opioid Misuse in Appalachia
Practical Strategies and Recommendations for Communities
April 2019
Kate Beatty, Nathan Hale, Michael Meit, Megan Heffernan, Michelle Dougherty, Luciana Rocha, Kelsey Ruane, Rob Pack, Stephanie Mathis, Bill Brooks, Angela Hagaman, and Sam Pettyjohn.
East Tennessee State University, NORC at the University of Chicago’s Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, Appalachian Regional Commission
This brief summarizes relevant health statistics, offers key strategies and resources for communities to explore, and provides recommendations aimed at reducing health disparities in the Appalachian Region related to opioid misuse.
Abstract & Report Contents
Full Report in PDF (1 MB)
Issue Brief
Health Disparities Related to Smoking in Appalachia Practical Strategies and Recommendations for Communities
April 2019
Kate Beatty, Nathan Hale, Michael Meit, Megan Heffernan, Michelle Dougherty, Luciana Rocha, and Kelsey Ruane, Ginny Kidwell, and Hadii Mamudu.
East Tennessee State University, NORC at the University of Chicago’s Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis, Appalachian Regional Commission
This brief summarizes relevant health statistics, offers key strategies and resources for communities to explore, and provides recommendations aimed at reducing health disparities in the Appalachian Region related to smoking.
Abstract & Report Contents
Full Report in PDF (1 MB)
Strengthening Economic Resilience in Appalachia
February 2019
Downstream Strategies, The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, Dialogue + Design Associates, West Virginia University
This study defines and quantifies economic resilience in order to understand the underlying factors that allow communities to buffer economic shocks.
Abstract & Report Contents
Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Appalachia
September 2018
EntreWorks Consulting with the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship and the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness
This research effort examines entrepreneurship in Appalachia through both quantitative and qualitative analysis. It includes a detailed overview of the components that tend to support vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Abstract & Report Contents
Identifying Bright Spots in Appalachian Health: Statistical Analysis
July 2018
G. Mark Holmes, Nancy M. Lane, William Holding, Randy Randolph, Jonathan Rodgers, Pam Silberman, Lisa Villamil, Thomas A. Arcury, Kelly Ivey, Daniel Goolsby, Ashli Keyser, and J&J Editorial
Appalachian Regional Commission; PDA, Inc.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
This report is the second in a series exploring health in the Appalachian Region and describes the results of the regression analysis used to identify Appalachian “Bright Spot” counties.
Abstract & Report Contents
Exploring Bright Spots in Appalachian Health: Case Studies
July 2018
Nancy M. Lane, G. Mark Holmes, Thomas A. Arcury, Michael L. Schwalbe, Randy Randolph, John Frank, Sharita Thomas, Janine Latus, Jonathan Rodgers, Alexa Cohen, Kelly Ivey, William Holding, Maura Lane, Pam Silberman, Katie Gaul, Lisa Villamil, Ashli Keyser
Appalachian Regional Commission; PDA, Inc.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; and Burness
The third report in a series exploring health in the Appalachian Region, this report presents in-depth studies of 10 of the 42 “Bright Spot” counties identified through the statistical analysis described in the series’ second report.
Abstract & Report Contents
The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2012-2016 American Community Survey
March 2018
Kelvin Pollard and Linda A. Jacobsen
Population Reference Bureau
This study examines state- and county-level data for the 13 Appalachian states on topics including population, age, race, ethnicity, housing, education, labor force, employment, income, poverty, health insurance, disability status, and migration.
Abstract & Report Contents
An Economic Analysis of the Appalachian Coal Industry Ecosystem
January 2018
Eric Bowen, Mark L. Burton, Christiadi, David B. Clarke, Rebecca J. Davis, John Deskins, Randall Jackson, Péter Járosi, Brian Lego, Matthew Murray, Péter Schaeffer, and Charles Sims
West Virginia University and The University of Tennessee
This January 2018 series of five ARC-commissioned reports explores some of the current and potential impacts of Appalachia’s declining coal production on elements of the coal ecosystem.
Abstract & Report Contents
Appalachian Diseases of Despair
August 2017
Michael Meit, Megan Heffernan, Erin Tanenbaum, and Topher Hoffmann
The Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
This study analyzed the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within Appalachia, focusing on increasing morbidity and mortality from three main causes: alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease.
Abstract & Report Contents
Health Disparities in Appalachia
August 2017
Julie L. Marshall, Logan Thomas, Nancy M. Lane, G. Mark Holmes, Thomas A. Arcury, Randy Randolph, Pam Silberman, William Holding, Lisa Villamil, Sharita Thomas, Maura Lane, Janine Latus, Jonathan Rodgers, and Kelly Ivey
PDA, Inc.; Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research; Appalachian Regional Commission
Health Disparities in Appalachia is the first report in a series exploring health issues in Appalachia. The 2017 report measures population health in Appalachia and documents disparities between the Region and the nation as a whole and within the Region.
Abstract & Report Contents
Full Report in PDF (46.1 MB)
The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2011-2015 American Community Survey
March 2017
Kelvin Pollard and Linda A. Jacobsen
Population Reference Bureau
This study examines state- and county-level data on population, age, race and ethnicity, housing, education, labor force, employment, income and poverty, health insurance, disability status, migration, and veteran status for the 13 Appalachian states.
Abstract & Report Contents