Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Community Health Workers and Rural Age-Friendly Care
Discusses the roles of community health workers (CHWs) in enhancing access, quality, and affordability of healthcare for older adults in rural areas. Describes challenges and opportunities for integrating CHWs into rural health systems. Offers policy and action recommendations to enable and support CHWs in improving healthcare for rural older adults.
Author(s): Elizabeth Eckstrom, Denise A. Hernadez, Lindsay Miller, Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Discusses the roles of community health workers (CHWs) in enhancing access, quality, and affordability of healthcare for older adults in rural areas. Describes challenges and opportunities for integrating CHWs into rural health systems. Offers policy and action recommendations to enable and support CHWs in improving healthcare for rural older adults.
Author(s): Elizabeth Eckstrom, Denise A. Hernadez, Lindsay Miller, Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Barriers to Health Care among Rural Adults by Disability Status
Examines various barriers to healthcare access for rural adults with a disability. Utilizes 2022 National Health Interview Survey data to analyze rural adults with disabilities compared to rural adults without disabilities, with further breakdowns by demographic and socioeconomic variables as well as delayed healthcare due to cost, inability to afford prescription medication, clinic hours or availability, transportation, travel time, or insurance status.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70086
Date: 10/2025
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Examines various barriers to healthcare access for rural adults with a disability. Utilizes 2022 National Health Interview Survey data to analyze rural adults with disabilities compared to rural adults without disabilities, with further breakdowns by demographic and socioeconomic variables as well as delayed healthcare due to cost, inability to afford prescription medication, clinic hours or availability, transportation, travel time, or insurance status.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Mariana Tuttle, Ingrid Jacobson, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70086
Date: 10/2025
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Missed Opportunities for Tobacco Dependence Treatment among U.S. Veterans Referred for Lung Cancer Screening: An Observational Cohort Study
Analyzes rates at which tobacco dependence treatment (TDT) is provided to veterans who use tobacco and were referred for lung cancer screening (LCS) at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and associated clinics in the upper Midwest between September 2022 and September 2023. Breaks down clinical and demographic factors associated with TDT use, including rurality.
Author(s): Anne C. Melzer, Adam Kaplan, Megan Campbell, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 59, 103263
Date: 10/2025
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Analyzes rates at which tobacco dependence treatment (TDT) is provided to veterans who use tobacco and were referred for lung cancer screening (LCS) at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and associated clinics in the upper Midwest between September 2022 and September 2023. Breaks down clinical and demographic factors associated with TDT use, including rurality.
Author(s): Anne C. Melzer, Adam Kaplan, Megan Campbell, et al.
Citation: Preventive Medicine Reports, 59, 103263
Date: 10/2025
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Healthcare Access and Health Related Quality of Life of New Mexican Adults: Results from the 2023 New Mexico Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
Reports on healthcare access and health-related quality of life in New Mexico using New Mexico Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (NM BRFSS) data. Covers topics including self-reported quality of mental and physical health, health insurance coverage, routine healthcare check-ups, flu vaccination among older adults, and likelihood of having a personal healthcare provider. Provides data breakdowns for each topic by level of rurality and other demographics.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Reports on healthcare access and health-related quality of life in New Mexico using New Mexico Behavioral Risk Factor Survey (NM BRFSS) data. Covers topics including self-reported quality of mental and physical health, health insurance coverage, routine healthcare check-ups, flu vaccination among older adults, and likelihood of having a personal healthcare provider. Provides data breakdowns for each topic by level of rurality and other demographics.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Impact of Scope of Practice Laws for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists on the Utilization of Anesthesia Services
Examines scope of practice laws (SOPLs) for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SOPLs. Utilizes 2018-2022 national administrative claims data to examine anesthesia providers by rurality, utilization rate of anesthesia procedures, and utilization of anesthesia procedures by SOPL changes and county underserved status, defined by density of available anesthesia providers. Discusses the impact of SOPLs on access to anesthesia services.
Author(s): Projesh P. Ghosh, Wafa W. Tarazi, Nwanneamaka Ume, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 10/2025
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Examines scope of practice laws (SOPLs) for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SOPLs. Utilizes 2018-2022 national administrative claims data to examine anesthesia providers by rurality, utilization rate of anesthesia procedures, and utilization of anesthesia procedures by SOPL changes and county underserved status, defined by density of available anesthesia providers. Discusses the impact of SOPLs on access to anesthesia services.
Author(s): Projesh P. Ghosh, Wafa W. Tarazi, Nwanneamaka Ume, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 10/2025
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Utilization of Home- and Community-Based Services among Rural Family Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: The Role of the Area Deprivation Index
Examines the association between utilization of home- and community-based services and area-level factors as measured by the Area Deprivation Index, utilizing survey data of 361 rural family caregivers of people with dementia. Analyzes the relationship between home or community service use and level of area deprivation, U.S. region, and other individual factors.
Author(s): Jasmine Santoyo-Olsson, Kenneth E. Covinsky, Jing Cheng, Dolores Gallagher Thompson, Veronica Yank
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1688161
Date: 10/2025
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Examines the association between utilization of home- and community-based services and area-level factors as measured by the Area Deprivation Index, utilizing survey data of 361 rural family caregivers of people with dementia. Analyzes the relationship between home or community service use and level of area deprivation, U.S. region, and other individual factors.
Author(s): Jasmine Santoyo-Olsson, Kenneth E. Covinsky, Jing Cheng, Dolores Gallagher Thompson, Veronica Yank
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1688161
Date: 10/2025
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South Carolina 2025-2030 State Health Improvement Plan
Describes a plan for public health improvement in South Carolina. Identifies priorities, strategies, and metrics for topics including health outcomes, maternal and infant health, and behavioral health. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Department of Public Health
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Describes a plan for public health improvement in South Carolina. Identifies priorities, strategies, and metrics for topics including health outcomes, maternal and infant health, and behavioral health. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Department of Public Health
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Examining the Relationship Between Health Literacy and the Primary Source of Information for Healthcare Services among Rural Residents
Analyzes relationships between health literacy and use of the internet, community newsletters, television, text-based communication, and other methods as a primary source for healthcare services information among 464 survey respondents living in Oklahoma's rural Tillman and Harmon counties. Discusses how health communication strategies can be tailored by information source for different rural groups to improve healthcare information sharing and access to services.
Author(s): Xuewei Chen, Tao Hu, Rose W. Njoroge, Ming Li, Gary Kreps
Citation: Health Behavior Research, 8(4)
Date: 10/2025
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Analyzes relationships between health literacy and use of the internet, community newsletters, television, text-based communication, and other methods as a primary source for healthcare services information among 464 survey respondents living in Oklahoma's rural Tillman and Harmon counties. Discusses how health communication strategies can be tailored by information source for different rural groups to improve healthcare information sharing and access to services.
Author(s): Xuewei Chen, Tao Hu, Rose W. Njoroge, Ming Li, Gary Kreps
Citation: Health Behavior Research, 8(4)
Date: 10/2025
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Affordability of Health Professional Education: Proceedings of a Workshop Series—In Brief
Summarizes presentations and discussions from the National Academies Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education, convened in early 2025 to explore financial barriers, assess workforce effects, and consider ways to improve the value and accessibility of health professional education. Discusses primary care workforce shortages and lack of training opportunities in rural areas.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes presentations and discussions from the National Academies Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education, convened in early 2025 to explore financial barriers, assess workforce effects, and consider ways to improve the value and accessibility of health professional education. Discusses primary care workforce shortages and lack of training opportunities in rural areas.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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How States Can Boost Behavioral Health Services in Rural Communities
Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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Explores ways state officials can utilize federal funds to increase mental health and substance use treatment for rural communities. Highlights strategies for increasing access to behavioral health services in rural communities that can be funded through the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program.
Author(s): Alexandra Duncan, Kristen Mizzi Angelone
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Pew Research Center
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