Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Economic Hardship and Health Within Sociodemographic and Occupational Groups — Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United States, 2022–2023
Reports on economic hardship measures and self-rated health among employed and recently unemployed adults. Hardship measures included lack of health insurance, cost of medical care, employment instability, food insecurity, housing insecurity, utility insecurity, lack of reliable transportation, and receipt of food benefits. Provides data by occupation, including for people employed in farming, fishing, and forestry.
Author(s): Sharon R. Silver, Jia Li, Taylor M. Shockey
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(19), 326-333
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on economic hardship measures and self-rated health among employed and recently unemployed adults. Hardship measures included lack of health insurance, cost of medical care, employment instability, food insecurity, housing insecurity, utility insecurity, lack of reliable transportation, and receipt of food benefits. Provides data by occupation, including for people employed in farming, fishing, and forestry.
Author(s): Sharon R. Silver, Jia Li, Taylor M. Shockey
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(19), 326-333
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Discreet but Accessible: A Qualitative Study with People Who Use Drugs and Service Staff about the Optimal Design of a Harm Reduction Vending Machine in Rural Kentucky
Analyzes perspectives on harm reduction vending machine (HRVM) access and suitability via interviews with people who use drugs as well as health department and syringe service program (SSP) staff in rural Appalachian Kentucky. Discusses factors influencing the usefulness of HRVMs and their ability to address public health needs such as infectious disease prevention, overdose reduction, and other community benefits.
Author(s): Rachel M. Marschke, April M. Young, Hannah K. Knudsen, Chelsi N. Cheatom, Hannah L. F. Cooper
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 22, 88
Date: 05/2025
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Analyzes perspectives on harm reduction vending machine (HRVM) access and suitability via interviews with people who use drugs as well as health department and syringe service program (SSP) staff in rural Appalachian Kentucky. Discusses factors influencing the usefulness of HRVMs and their ability to address public health needs such as infectious disease prevention, overdose reduction, and other community benefits.
Author(s): Rachel M. Marschke, April M. Young, Hannah K. Knudsen, Chelsi N. Cheatom, Hannah L. F. Cooper
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 22, 88
Date: 05/2025
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Public Transit Supports for Food Access: 2021 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living (CBS HEAL)
Examines public transit availability and planning, presence of demand responsive transportation (DRT), and DRT services to food retail destinations in 1,956 municipalities. Provides data on demographic disparities in public transit access and planning, including rural-urban disparities. Discusses health impacts of access to healthy food and the importance of planning for adequate public transit.
Author(s): Brianna L. Smarsh, Young Shin Park, Seung Hee Lee, Diane M. Harris, Heidi M. Blanck
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240458
Date: 05/2025
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Examines public transit availability and planning, presence of demand responsive transportation (DRT), and DRT services to food retail destinations in 1,956 municipalities. Provides data on demographic disparities in public transit access and planning, including rural-urban disparities. Discusses health impacts of access to healthy food and the importance of planning for adequate public transit.
Author(s): Brianna L. Smarsh, Young Shin Park, Seung Hee Lee, Diane M. Harris, Heidi M. Blanck
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240458
Date: 05/2025
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Finding Hidden Insights in American Indian and Alaska Native Data on data.census.gov
Webinar recording discusses how to use data.census.gov to access American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) demographic data. Highlights strategies such as using specialized filter sections,overlooked data sources, and other techniques to reveal detailed data on AI/AN geographies and populations.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Webinar recording discusses how to use data.census.gov to access American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) demographic data. Highlights strategies such as using specialized filter sections,overlooked data sources, and other techniques to reveal detailed data on AI/AN geographies and populations.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Using the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model to Identify Implementation Determinants of a Statewide Diabetes Learning Collaborative in Kentucky
Examines the impact of utilizing a learning collaborative to implement a diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) intervention. Utilizes interview feedback with collaborative participants to discuss issues such as organizational perspectives of DSMES, organizational and patient perspectives, and implementation and sustainability infrastructure. Discusses issues of implementing DSMES in rural areas of Kentucky.
Author(s): Aaron J. Kruse-Diehr, Borsika A. Rabin, Jessica Elliott, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 735
Date: 05/2025
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Examines the impact of utilizing a learning collaborative to implement a diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) intervention. Utilizes interview feedback with collaborative participants to discuss issues such as organizational perspectives of DSMES, organizational and patient perspectives, and implementation and sustainability infrastructure. Discusses issues of implementing DSMES in rural areas of Kentucky.
Author(s): Aaron J. Kruse-Diehr, Borsika A. Rabin, Jessica Elliott, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 735
Date: 05/2025
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Wait Times for Medical Appointments among Adults Age 50 and Older
Reports on wait times and distance to healthcare services in rural and urban communities, utilizing data from a February 2025 survey of 1,012 adults age 50 or older. Breaks down data by level of rurality, type of facility, and type of care provided.
Additional links: Annotated Questionnaire
Author(s): Teresa A. Keenan
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP
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Reports on wait times and distance to healthcare services in rural and urban communities, utilizing data from a February 2025 survey of 1,012 adults age 50 or older. Breaks down data by level of rurality, type of facility, and type of care provided.
Additional links: Annotated Questionnaire
Author(s): Teresa A. Keenan
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP
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Geographic and Sociodemographic Factors and Receipt of Metabolic Disease Specialty Care
Examines geographic and sociodemographic factors that impact access to specialty metabolic care in rural areas. Utilizes data from 9,546 adults with chronic health conditions in Pennsylvania and provides data on receipt of endocrinology and cardiology care according to patient demographics, neighborhood characteristics, and location of urban, large rural town, or small rural town. Includes maps showing driving distance to care centers.
Author(s): Margaret F. Zupa, Scott D. Rothenberger, Jessica G. Bauer, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Examines geographic and sociodemographic factors that impact access to specialty metabolic care in rural areas. Utilizes data from 9,546 adults with chronic health conditions in Pennsylvania and provides data on receipt of endocrinology and cardiology care according to patient demographics, neighborhood characteristics, and location of urban, large rural town, or small rural town. Includes maps showing driving distance to care centers.
Author(s): Margaret F. Zupa, Scott D. Rothenberger, Jessica G. Bauer, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Characteristics and Trends of Critical Access Hospitals That Own or Operate Ambulance Services
Explores trends in the number of Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based ambulance services between 2017 and 2022. Analyzes Medicare Cost Report data to compare the characteristics of of CAHs that own and operate ambulance services to CAHs that do not. Presents findings from interviews with eight CAH-based ambulance services regarding the challenges of operating these services, including workforce recruitment and retention issues, the role of partnerships and community involvement, and lessons learned.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores trends in the number of Critical Access Hospital (CAH)-based ambulance services between 2017 and 2022. Analyzes Medicare Cost Report data to compare the characteristics of of CAHs that own and operate ambulance services to CAHs that do not. Presents findings from interviews with eight CAH-based ambulance services regarding the challenges of operating these services, including workforce recruitment and retention issues, the role of partnerships and community involvement, and lessons learned.
Author(s): John Gale, Karen Pearson, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Medicaid Plays A Key Role for Maternal and Infant Health in Rural Communities
Explores the role of Medicaid in covering women of childbearing age - 19 through 44 years old - living in small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) on the percentage of women of childbearing age in small towns and rural areas have Medicaid coverage by state and compares the share of Medicaid coverage to similar women in metropolitan counties. Describes the percentage of women of childbearing age with Medicaid coverage as a share of non-elderly adults with Medicaid across Medicaid expansion states and non-expansion states. Highlights the 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of women of childbearing age covered by Medicaid.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Explores the role of Medicaid in covering women of childbearing age - 19 through 44 years old - living in small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) on the percentage of women of childbearing age in small towns and rural areas have Medicaid coverage by state and compares the share of Medicaid coverage to similar women in metropolitan counties. Describes the percentage of women of childbearing age with Medicaid coverage as a share of non-elderly adults with Medicaid across Medicaid expansion states and non-expansion states. Highlights the 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of women of childbearing age covered by Medicaid.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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School-Based Health Centers and School Attendance in Rural Areas
Examines the relationship between the availability of School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) and student absenteeism in rural areas. Analyzes 66,303 students from kindergarten to 12th grade for absenteeism in districts with a SBHC and those without a SBHC.
Author(s): Chris Kjolhede, Wendy M. Brunner, John W. Sipple
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Examines the relationship between the availability of School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) and student absenteeism in rural areas. Analyzes 66,303 students from kindergarten to 12th grade for absenteeism in districts with a SBHC and those without a SBHC.
Author(s): Chris Kjolhede, Wendy M. Brunner, John W. Sipple
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(5)
Date: 05/2025
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