Veterans living in rural areas of the United States face various health challenges that demand timely access to care to improve their well-being and quality of life. Telehealth (i.e., the use of telecommunications technology to connect people with care providers remotely) has become vital in addressing the accessibility gap for people constrained by vehicle ownership, income, geographic isolation, and limited access to specialists. This study aims to examine the current evidence on rural veterans’ use of telehealth for their healthcare needs, evaluates the cost savings associated with telehealth, as well as veterans’ use of telehealth during COVID-19. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic search was conducted on three databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus) to select relevant articles published from 2017 to 2023. A total of 36 articles met the inclusion criteria and were categorized into three objectives: veterans’ medical conditions managed through telehealth (n = 24), veterans’ transportation cost savings using telehealth (n = 4), and telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 8). The results indicated that telehealth is a viable option for managing various medical conditions of rural veterans, including complex ones like diabetes and cancer. Additionally, telemedicine was a useful platform in bridging the healthcare accessibility gap during disasters or pandemics like COVID-19 evident from its increased usage during the pandemic. Lastly, telehealth was associated with cost and time savings between USD 65.29 and USD 72.94 per visit and 2.10 and 2.60 h per visit, respectively. However, the feasibility of telehealth for veterans’ medical conditions such as rheumatism, cancer, HIV, and diabetes is underexplored and calls for further investigation post-COVID-19. Lastly, the limited literature on rural veterans’ transportation cost savings using different mobility options—taxi, Uber, public transportation, and rides from friends and family—is another critical gap.

Cybersecurity challenges are increasing in the rail industry because of constant technological evolution that includes the Internet of Things, blockchains, automation, and artificial intelligence. Consequently, many railroads and supply chain stakeholders have implemented strategies and practices to address these challenges. However, the pace of cybersecurity implementation in the railroad industry is slow even as cyberthreats escalate. This study uniquely integrates bibliometric analysis with a systematic literature review to provide a holistic view of cybersecurity trends in rail freight. The study analyzes 70 articles focusing on cybersecurity practices in the rail freight industry, structured around four research questions relating to: (1) challenges, (2) measures, (3) emerging trends, and (4) innovations. Key findings are that implementing cybersecurity practices in the rail freight industry comes with numerous challenges and risks. The study concludes that new threats will constantly emerge with technological advancements. Therefore, there is a need for continuous human training, collaboration, and coordination with stakeholders. This study also highlights research gaps and recommends how stakeholders can most appropriately execute cybersecurity strategies and best coordinate them with the various technological functions in the rail freight industry.

As illegal mining in Ghana has become increasingly rampant ever, this study aimed at examining the effect of illegal mining on the dimensions of sustainability performance among crop farmers and the challenges they face because of illegal mining in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. To investigate the intriguing connections among illegal mining and sustainability performance among crop farmers, this paper draws on multidisciplinary literature and collects empirical data from 250 respondents in the Atwima Nwabiagya and Atwima Mponua Districts, Ghana to test the proposed model and hypotheses using structural equation modeling. All the three (3) elements or paradigms of sustainability performance were negatively affected by illegal mining activities. It was also observed that a significant positive relationship exists among all the elements of sustainability performance hence a consequence on one element may affect the other. Unlike most research on illegal mining that has been theoretical, this study represents one of the few empirical analyses of how illegal mining may affect sustainability performance

Notwithstanding the impact of sustainable innovation on environmental management, its bearing on industrial performance remains hypothetical. Our study seeks to empirically investigate the link between sustainable innovation and industry performance in the United States by employing the generalized method of moments on a nine-year panel spanning from 2014 to 2022. The sample consists of 94 U.S industries, which covers about 7300 companies. The results show that sustainable innovation is not significantly related to industrial performance in the United States. However, it has a moderating effect on industrial output. The Arellano–Bond test, AR (2), confirms the robustness of our findings given the endogeneity assumption and model specifications, and the Hansen test confirms the validity of the instruments. This study expands our knowledge of the link between sustainable innovation and industry performance. A study of this kind is relevant in current times as the United States seeks to attain Sustainable Development Goal 9 by 2030. Further, it provides theoretical guidance on successful environmental management practices to enhance social welfare and maximize output.

Cybersecurity challenges are increasing in the rail industry because of constant technological evolution that includes the Internet-of-Things, blockchains, automation, and artificial intelligence. Consequently, many railroads and supply chain stakeholders have implemented strategies and practices to address these challenges. However, the pace of cybersecurity implementation in the railroad industry is slow even as cyberthreats escalate. This systematic review incorporates bibliometric analysis to analyze 70 articles focusing on cybersecurity practices in the rail freight industry, structured around four research questions relating to: (1) challenges, (2) measures, (3) emerging trends, and (4) innovations. Key findings are that implementing cybersecurity practices in the rail freight industry comes with numerous challenges and risks. The study concludes that new threats will constantly emerge with technological advancements. Therefore, there is a need for continuous human training, collaboration, and coordination with stakeholders. This study also highlights research gaps and recommends how stakeholders can most appropriately execute cybersecurity strategies and best coordinate them with the various technological functions in the rail freight industry.

Transportation insecurity—the inability to consistently reach essential destinations in a safe, timely, and reliable manner poses a significant barrier for rural veterans in the United States. Despite growing attention to transportation insecurity, limited empirical research has examined this issue among rural veterans, particularly in the Midwest and Upper Great Plains. This study surveyed 223 rural veterans across five states using the validated 16-item Transportation Security Index (TSI) to assess the prevalence and correlations of transportation insecurity. Findings indicate that 48% of respondents experienced some level of transportation insecurity, with 25% reporting high insecurity. Transportation insecurity was most prevalent among veterans with lower incomes and higher disability ratings, while descriptive patterns also suggested elevated insecurity among women, younger veterans, and racial minority groups. These results highlight the need for adaptive and accessible transportation interventions tailored to veterans with substantial health limitations in rural communities. Future research using larger, more diverse samples and multi-site rural designs is needed to further examine demographic and regional variation in transportation insecurity among rural veterans.