Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
The Golden Hour Is Elusive in Rural Trauma: A 10-year Analysis from a Level I Trauma Center in Montana
Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
view details
Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
view details
Rural Community Engagement and Cultural Considerations in the Design and Deployment of Remote Health Monitoring Systems: A Scoping Review
Presents a literature review exploring whether remote health monitoring systems (RHMS) are designed with rural communities in mind as a solution for healthcare access issues. Details RHMS literature by study design, healthcare focus, and issue being monitored, among other measures.
Author(s): Kelly Reed, Victoria M. Petermann, Rhys D. Nicholas, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70141
Date: 04/2026
view details
Presents a literature review exploring whether remote health monitoring systems (RHMS) are designed with rural communities in mind as a solution for healthcare access issues. Details RHMS literature by study design, healthcare focus, and issue being monitored, among other measures.
Author(s): Kelly Reed, Victoria M. Petermann, Rhys D. Nicholas, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70141
Date: 04/2026
view details
Impact of Rural Hospital Closures on Survival among Medicare Beneficiaries Diagnosed with Colorectal, Lung, Breast, and Prostate Cancer
Presents a study on the effect rural hospital closures have on mortality rates of patients with colorectal, lung, breast, and prostate cancer using 2000-2020 data from the National Cancer Institute. Breaks down data by closure year and patient demographics, such as age, rural status, and cancer stage, among others.
Author(s): Zhaoli Liu, Daoqi Gao, Tara Martin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70148
Date: 04/2026
view details
Presents a study on the effect rural hospital closures have on mortality rates of patients with colorectal, lung, breast, and prostate cancer using 2000-2020 data from the National Cancer Institute. Breaks down data by closure year and patient demographics, such as age, rural status, and cancer stage, among others.
Author(s): Zhaoli Liu, Daoqi Gao, Tara Martin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70148
Date: 04/2026
view details
Ambulance Deserts and Health Care Deserts
Story maps illustrating the intersection of ambulance deserts and rural healthcare deserts in 2020 across 41 states. Maps include the locations of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the number and percent of rural residents living in ambulance deserts and healthcare deserts in each state and by region. Builds on a 2023 chartbook, Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Tyler DeAngelis, Celia Jewell, Thomas Griffin, Heidi O'Connor
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Northeast Rural Health Research Center
view details
Story maps illustrating the intersection of ambulance deserts and rural healthcare deserts in 2020 across 41 states. Maps include the locations of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the number and percent of rural residents living in ambulance deserts and healthcare deserts in each state and by region. Builds on a 2023 chartbook, Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Tyler DeAngelis, Celia Jewell, Thomas Griffin, Heidi O'Connor
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Northeast Rural Health Research Center
view details
Rural Targeted Messaging, Multiplex Salivary Measurement, and Rural Equity in SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Testing: Protocol Overview of a SeroNet Investigation
Overview of a study protocol to examine the influence of rural-targeted messaging on uptake of serological (antibody) testing for COVID-19, using data of 194 people northern Michigan who viewed either rural-targeted or general didactic videos on antibody testing. Discusses how the study will examine the role of rural messaging on receptivity of antibody testing, among other factors.
Author(s): Leah Maschino, Kelly A. Hirko, Christopher D. Heaney, et al.
Citation: Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 50, 101627
Date: 04/2026
view details
Overview of a study protocol to examine the influence of rural-targeted messaging on uptake of serological (antibody) testing for COVID-19, using data of 194 people northern Michigan who viewed either rural-targeted or general didactic videos on antibody testing. Discusses how the study will examine the role of rural messaging on receptivity of antibody testing, among other factors.
Author(s): Leah Maschino, Kelly A. Hirko, Christopher D. Heaney, et al.
Citation: Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 50, 101627
Date: 04/2026
view details
Community Resources and Hazards Across the Rural-Urban Continuum
Explores variation by rurality in exposure to community-level social determinants of health, using data from all residential addresses in Maryland. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas.
Author(s): Oshozimhede E. Iyalomhe, Shuo Jim Huang, Rozalina G. McCoy
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(4), e264864
Date: 04/2026
view details
Explores variation by rurality in exposure to community-level social determinants of health, using data from all residential addresses in Maryland. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas.
Author(s): Oshozimhede E. Iyalomhe, Shuo Jim Huang, Rozalina G. McCoy
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(4), e264864
Date: 04/2026
view details
A Chartbook on the Characteristics and Needs of Frontier Critical Access Hospitals
Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
view details
Rural-Urban Trends in Pediatric Emergency Department Visits for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions from 2016-2019
Examines trends in pediatric emergency department visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs), including gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, asthma, and diabetes, and discusses the role of primary care access in reducing ACSC-related hospitalizations. Provides data breakdowns by level of rurality and year, race and ethnicity, and health condition using 2016-2019 State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) data.
Author(s): Marvellous Akinlotan, Nima Khodakarami, Alva O. Ferdinand
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
view details
Examines trends in pediatric emergency department visits for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs), including gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, asthma, and diabetes, and discusses the role of primary care access in reducing ACSC-related hospitalizations. Provides data breakdowns by level of rurality and year, race and ethnicity, and health condition using 2016-2019 State Emergency Department Databases (SEDD) data.
Author(s): Marvellous Akinlotan, Nima Khodakarami, Alva O. Ferdinand
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Southwest Rural Health Research Center
view details
Post-Hospital Access to Preferred and High-Quality Skilled Nursing Facilities for Patients With Opioid Use Disorder
Examines access to preferred and high-quality skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) among Medicare beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Utilizes 2017-2021 Medicare inpatient claims data to analyze 6,490,593 patients with OUD and their likelihood to enter preferred and high-quality SNFs according to patient demographics and urbanicity of metro, micro, small town, or rural.
Author(s): Talia S. Benheim, Momotazur Rahman, Andrew R. Zullo, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(2), e70110
Date: 04/2026
view details
Examines access to preferred and high-quality skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) among Medicare beneficiaries with opioid use disorder (OUD). Utilizes 2017-2021 Medicare inpatient claims data to analyze 6,490,593 patients with OUD and their likelihood to enter preferred and high-quality SNFs according to patient demographics and urbanicity of metro, micro, small town, or rural.
Author(s): Talia S. Benheim, Momotazur Rahman, Andrew R. Zullo, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(2), e70110
Date: 04/2026
view details
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Acute Stroke Capabilities in California: Association with Rurality and Telestroke Access
Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
view details
Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
view details