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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development

Rural Veterans' Thoughts on High Suicide Rates in Their Communities—and on What to Do About It
Highlights a study on the perspective of rural veterans on methods for suicide prevention in their communities. Bases findings on a survey of veterans in rural counties in Oregon and explores perceptions around socioeconomic resources, person-centered healthcare, and having a strong sense of community.
Author(s): Lauren M. Denneson
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development
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North Central Region Community Development Extension 2024 Impact Report
Provides an overview of the activities and impact of Extension programming in the North Central Region, comprising Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Washington. Focuses on impacts such as resilient communities and economies, leadership and civic engagement, and community health and wellness. Includes examples in rural communities.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Indian Health Service's Controls Over Sanitation Facilities Construction Program Projects Funded Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Could Be Improved
Explores Indian Health Service (IHS) internal controls regarding identifying, recording, and tracking projects in the Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) and ensuring that Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds are limited to eligible project costs. Offers recommendations to IHS to improve controls for identifying and recording SFC Program projects funded under IIJA and for ensuring IIJA funds are used only for eligible project costs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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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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County Typology Codes
Presents county-level typology codes, comprising Economic Typology Codes based on the industrial composition of nonmetropolitan counties and Demographic Typology Codes based on demographic characteristics, such as employment, population, poverty, and others. Classifies all counties in the 50 U.S. States and Washington, D.C. for which data are available.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Farm Bill Primer: Rural Development Title
Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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USDA Rural Development: Together, America Prospers
Provides an overview of USDA Rural Development's mission and investments, highlighting programs and initiatives related to rural economic development, housing, and infrastructure. Discusses quality of life and healthcare needs in rural communities.
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
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The Importance of the Health Care Sector to the Kansas Economy
Describes how the healthcare sector contributes to the Kansas economy in terms of available jobs, income, and quality of life. Provides data on contributions and growth projected through 2030 and includes discussions focused on rural areas.
Author(s): Donna K. Ginther, Pat Oslund, Thomas Becker
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Kansas Hospital Association, University of Kansas Institute for Policy & Social Research
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Federal Assistance and Rural Hospital Closings: The Impact of the USDA Community Facilities Program
Examines how the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities (CF) Program's effects on rural hospital closures. Includes data on rural hospital closures and CF investments by region, and analyzes facility survival probability of hospitals which did or did not receive CF funding.
Additional links: Summary
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha, Julia Cho
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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The State of Rural Minnesota: 2025
Presents an overview of rural Minnesota. Includes interactive county-level data and statistics on population migration, economic vitality, employment, income, race/ethnicity, rural versus urban comparisons, and more.
Additional links: Webinar: Interconnected, Shifting Landscapes – Understanding Migration Patterns in Minnesota, Webinar: What's going on in Greater Minnesota? – State of Rural
Author(s): Kelly Asche, Marnie Werner
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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