Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Implementation of Mobile Medication Units: Findings from a Qualitative Study
Provides a brief overview of the development of policy regarding the approval of mobile medication units (MMUs) operated by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Presents findings from an environmental scan and key informant interviews regarding MMU implementation. Discusses barriers to establishing, sustaining, and expanding MMU services. Describes opportunities to increase access to methadone in underserved communities. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
view details
Provides a brief overview of the development of policy regarding the approval of mobile medication units (MMUs) operated by opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Presents findings from an environmental scan and key informant interviews regarding MMU implementation. Discusses barriers to establishing, sustaining, and expanding MMU services. Describes opportunities to increase access to methadone in underserved communities. Includes rural references throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Mathematica
view details
Understanding Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation of a Patient Safety Bundle for Pregnancy-Related Severe Hypertension in 3 North Carolina Outpatient Clinics: A Qualitative Study
Examines the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health's Patient Safety Bundle (Bundle) implementation in North Carolina, which aims to address complications of pregnancy related hypertension. Utilizes feedback from 11 key informant interviews working at a rural outpatient Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in central North Carolina. Discusses facilitators and barriers of the Bundle implementation, with a focus on access issues in rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Aparna G. Kachoria, Hiba Fatima, Alexandra F. Lightfoot, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 7
Date: 01/2025
view details
Examines the Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health's Patient Safety Bundle (Bundle) implementation in North Carolina, which aims to address complications of pregnancy related hypertension. Utilizes feedback from 11 key informant interviews working at a rural outpatient Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in central North Carolina. Discusses facilitators and barriers of the Bundle implementation, with a focus on access issues in rural and underserved communities.
Author(s): Aparna G. Kachoria, Hiba Fatima, Alexandra F. Lightfoot, et al.
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 7
Date: 01/2025
view details
Child Maltreatment 2023
Reports on rates of children receiving child protective services, children who died of abuse and neglect, and children who are victims of maltreatment, using data collected from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). Offers information on availability and access to child protective services at the state and territory level, including how some counties respond to child abuse and neglect screenings, referrals, and the provision of services. Includes data broken down by race/ethnicity as well as discussions specific to rural and tribal areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Reports on rates of children receiving child protective services, children who died of abuse and neglect, and children who are victims of maltreatment, using data collected from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). Offers information on availability and access to child protective services at the state and territory level, including how some counties respond to child abuse and neglect screenings, referrals, and the provision of services. Includes data broken down by race/ethnicity as well as discussions specific to rural and tribal areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
view details
Healthcare Insurance Coverage, Affordability of Coverage, and Access to Care, 2021-2024
Provides an overview of health insurance access between 2021 and 2024. Provides data on the national uninsured rate, enrollment in new insurance plans after a consumer's Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) disenrollment, and indicators on healthcare access and affordability for both children and adults. Includes select data on rural consumers, such as projected savings and uninsurance rates.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Provides an overview of health insurance access between 2021 and 2024. Provides data on the national uninsured rate, enrollment in new insurance plans after a consumer's Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) disenrollment, and indicators on healthcare access and affordability for both children and adults. Includes select data on rural consumers, such as projected savings and uninsurance rates.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Medical Debt and Its Impact on Rural Patients and Providers, with Carrie Henning-Smith
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carrie Henning-Smith, Co-Director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on the prevalence of and difficulties caused by medical debt for both rural patients and providers.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carrie Henning-Smith, Co-Director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on the prevalence of and difficulties caused by medical debt for both rural patients and providers.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Tennessee Uninsured Adult Healthcare Safety Net: 2024 Annual Report
Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2024. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2024. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
view details
A Comparison of Rural and Urban Differences in Geographic Proximity to Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Services in Tennessee
Examines distance and travel time disparities for outpatient stroke rehabilitation (OSR) services in rural and urban areas of Tennessee. Analyzes 185 facilities for OSR and provides rural versus urban median travel distance and time according to OSR service type. Includes county-level maps showing mean travel distance by kilometers.
Author(s): Phoebe M. Tran, Benjamin Fogelson, Robert E. Heidel, Raj Baljepally
Citation: Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention 45(1), 65-71
Date: 01/2025
view details
Examines distance and travel time disparities for outpatient stroke rehabilitation (OSR) services in rural and urban areas of Tennessee. Analyzes 185 facilities for OSR and provides rural versus urban median travel distance and time according to OSR service type. Includes county-level maps showing mean travel distance by kilometers.
Author(s): Phoebe M. Tran, Benjamin Fogelson, Robert E. Heidel, Raj Baljepally
Citation: Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention 45(1), 65-71
Date: 01/2025
view details
Variables Influencing Telemedicine Utilization via Telephone Appointments among Rural Patients
Examines patient telemedicine preferences at a rural outpatient clinic in California. Examines 2021 survey feedback from 153 patients related to themes such as patient-physician rapport, quality, accessibility, availability, cost, and more.
Author(s): Eliseo García, Benjamin C. Vincent, Shivani Thakur, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 1
Date: 01/2025
view details
Examines patient telemedicine preferences at a rural outpatient clinic in California. Examines 2021 survey feedback from 153 patients related to themes such as patient-physician rapport, quality, accessibility, availability, cost, and more.
Author(s): Eliseo García, Benjamin C. Vincent, Shivani Thakur, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 1
Date: 01/2025
view details
Proximity to Cancer Rehabilitation and Exercise Oncology by Geography, Race, and Socioeconomic Status
Examines the proximity to cancer rehabilitation and exercise oncology (CR/EO) programs and the health impacts of access. Utilizes 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data to analyze 2,133 CR/EO programs, with breakdowns according to CR/EO distance, density, rural versus urban location, race/ethnicity, social deprivation index, U.S. region, and cancer incidence and mortality. Includes U.S. maps showing location of CR/EO programs and areas with or without proximity to programs.
Author(s): Kathryn H. Schmitz, Kathryn Demanelis, Mary E. Crisafio, et al.
Citation: Cancer: An International Interdisciplinary Journal of the American Cancer Society, 131(1)
Date: 01/2025
view details
Examines the proximity to cancer rehabilitation and exercise oncology (CR/EO) programs and the health impacts of access. Utilizes 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data to analyze 2,133 CR/EO programs, with breakdowns according to CR/EO distance, density, rural versus urban location, race/ethnicity, social deprivation index, U.S. region, and cancer incidence and mortality. Includes U.S. maps showing location of CR/EO programs and areas with or without proximity to programs.
Author(s): Kathryn H. Schmitz, Kathryn Demanelis, Mary E. Crisafio, et al.
Citation: Cancer: An International Interdisciplinary Journal of the American Cancer Society, 131(1)
Date: 01/2025
view details
Idaho Hispanic Statewide Healthcare Plan
Identifies themes from 400 focus group participants at the July 2024 Idaho Hispanic/American Indian Healthcare Conference regarding accessibility to healthcare, healthcare workforce, and community engagement. Offers recommendations to policymakers, community organizations, and the healthcare industry. Includes county-level data for distribution of the Hispanic population, Medicaid and Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment rate changes, primary care physician distribution, uninsured rates, and poverty rates.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs
view details
Identifies themes from 400 focus group participants at the July 2024 Idaho Hispanic/American Indian Healthcare Conference regarding accessibility to healthcare, healthcare workforce, and community engagement. Offers recommendations to policymakers, community organizations, and the healthcare industry. Includes county-level data for distribution of the Hispanic population, Medicaid and Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment rate changes, primary care physician distribution, uninsured rates, and poverty rates.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs
view details