Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
The Opioid Epidemic in Rural Communities: Can Telehealth Increase Access to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder and Offset Barriers to Care?
Examines the impact of telehealth on access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. Utilizes data from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program's (RCORP) consortia, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) to analyze access to MOUD and rates of telehealth use for rural consortia. Discusses potential barriers and factors impacting telehealth implementation for SUD and OUD care.
Author(s): Kathleen Meyers, Shannon Herman, Heather Schuler, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 271, 112628
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of telehealth on access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. Utilizes data from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program's (RCORP) consortia, the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), and the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) to analyze access to MOUD and rates of telehealth use for rural consortia. Discusses potential barriers and factors impacting telehealth implementation for SUD and OUD care.
Author(s): Kathleen Meyers, Shannon Herman, Heather Schuler, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 271, 112628
Date: 06/2025
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Supporting Community Mental Health in Libraries: A Toolkit for Implementing Evidence-Based Approaches
Toolkit designed to help librarians identify and implement mental health supports within libraries to support their community members' mental well-being. Builds on findings from an implementation evaluation of from Libraries for Health (L4H), a pilot program that embedded nonclinical adult mental health supports into ten libraries in rural Texas.
Author(s): Amy L. Shearer, Ivy Todd, Karen Christianson, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Toolkit designed to help librarians identify and implement mental health supports within libraries to support their community members' mental well-being. Builds on findings from an implementation evaluation of from Libraries for Health (L4H), a pilot program that embedded nonclinical adult mental health supports into ten libraries in rural Texas.
Author(s): Amy L. Shearer, Ivy Todd, Karen Christianson, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Patient-Centered Medical Homes: How the Federally Supported Model Minimizes Healthcare Access Disparities for Older Adults in Rural Areas
Examines the impact of the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model on healthcare access in the southern United States. Utilizes data from 746 older adults to analyze access to healthcare, with breakdowns according to PCMH use, demographics, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Elisa M. Childs, Orion Mowbray
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the impact of the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model on healthcare access in the southern United States. Utilizes data from 746 older adults to analyze access to healthcare, with breakdowns according to PCMH use, demographics, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Elisa M. Childs, Orion Mowbray
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 06/2025
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2018 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Includes a discussion of disparities encountered by race/ethnicity and geographic locations along the rural-urban continuum. Addresses access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, affordability, healthy living, and effective treatment.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Provides a comprehensive summary and data analysis of healthcare quality and access in the U.S. Includes a discussion of disparities encountered by race/ethnicity and geographic locations along the rural-urban continuum. Addresses access to healthcare, patient safety, person-centered care, care coordination, affordability, healthy living, and effective treatment.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Annual Insurance Update 2025: Health Insurance in Kansas
Reports on health insurance coverage across Kansas and nationwide, including 2009-2023 trends in coverage. Presents 2022 county-level data on uninsured rates by age group and urban/rural classification, as well as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment by county.
Author(s): Angela S. Wu, Kaci Cink, Viktoria Sterkhova, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Reports on health insurance coverage across Kansas and nationwide, including 2009-2023 trends in coverage. Presents 2022 county-level data on uninsured rates by age group and urban/rural classification, as well as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment by county.
Author(s): Angela S. Wu, Kaci Cink, Viktoria Sterkhova, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Impact of Telemental Health on Suicide Prevention Care in U.S. Emergency Departments
Describes results of a survey of 977 hospital emergency departments regarding the use of telemental healthcare, and presents data by hospital characteristics, including rural location and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status. Explores whether access to telemental healthcare affects use of six recommended suicide prevention practices. Compares the use of suicide prevention practices among patients with identified suicide risk by telemental healthcare status and CAH designation.
Author(s): Stephanie K. Doupnik, Cadence F. Bowden, Diana Worsley, et al.
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine, 32(9), 956-965
Date: 05/2025
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Describes results of a survey of 977 hospital emergency departments regarding the use of telemental healthcare, and presents data by hospital characteristics, including rural location and Critical Access Hospital (CAH) status. Explores whether access to telemental healthcare affects use of six recommended suicide prevention practices. Compares the use of suicide prevention practices among patients with identified suicide risk by telemental healthcare status and CAH designation.
Author(s): Stephanie K. Doupnik, Cadence F. Bowden, Diana Worsley, et al.
Citation: Academic Emergency Medicine, 32(9), 956-965
Date: 05/2025
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National Elder Abuse Victim Services Needs Assessment
A needs assessment investigating services available to older adults who have experienced abuse, gaps in those services, barriers in offering and accessing services, and resources needed for elder justice professionals. Offers recommendations based on assessment findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Alana M. Henninger, Christine Doelger, Rachel Castellano, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: ICF, U.S. Department of Justice
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A needs assessment investigating services available to older adults who have experienced abuse, gaps in those services, barriers in offering and accessing services, and resources needed for elder justice professionals. Offers recommendations based on assessment findings. Discusses rural throughout.
Author(s): Alana M. Henninger, Christine Doelger, Rachel Castellano, et al.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organizations: ICF, U.S. Department of Justice
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Inpatient Care Experiences Are Better in Critical Access Hospitals than in Other Hospitals
Examines the inpatient care experiences of patients in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) hospitals. Utilizes Hospital Consumer Assessment of Hospitals, Providers, and Systems (HCAHPS) survey scores of CAHs and IPPs to evaluate patient experience according to hospital characteristics, patient characteristics, and rural versus urban location. Discusses the importance of CAHs to rural community healthcare access.
Author(s): Megan K. Beckett, Christopher W. Cohea, Paul D. Cleary, Laura A. Giordano, Marc N. Elliott
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Examines the inpatient care experiences of patients in Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) hospitals. Utilizes Hospital Consumer Assessment of Hospitals, Providers, and Systems (HCAHPS) survey scores of CAHs and IPPs to evaluate patient experience according to hospital characteristics, patient characteristics, and rural versus urban location. Discusses the importance of CAHs to rural community healthcare access.
Author(s): Megan K. Beckett, Christopher W. Cohea, Paul D. Cleary, Laura A. Giordano, Marc N. Elliott
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(5)
Date: 05/2025
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Disability Pride and Community Connection in Eastern Virginia: The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc.
Case study highlighting the outreach efforts of The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc (dRC), a Center for Independent Living (CIL) in eastern Virginia. Discusses the implementation and outcomes of peer mentoring and community engagement initiatives focused on supporting people with disabilities in underserved areas.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Lillie Greiman, Rayna Sage
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Case study highlighting the outreach efforts of The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc (dRC), a Center for Independent Living (CIL) in eastern Virginia. Discusses the implementation and outcomes of peer mentoring and community engagement initiatives focused on supporting people with disabilities in underserved areas.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Lillie Greiman, Rayna Sage
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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"I Now Have the Freedom to Do What I Want, When I Want, Like Anybody Else": The Impact, Creation, and Management of Transportation Voucher Programs
Explores the impacts and implementation of transportation voucher programs supporting people with disabilities in rural areas via interviews with CIL staff and disabled voucher program participants. Discusses the experiences of rural people with disabilities and highlights benefits and challenges of transportation voucher programs.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Andrew Myers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Explores the impacts and implementation of transportation voucher programs supporting people with disabilities in rural areas via interviews with CIL staff and disabled voucher program participants. Discusses the experiences of rural people with disabilities and highlights benefits and challenges of transportation voucher programs.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Andrew Myers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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