Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions
From Expansion to Expiration: Federal Policy Waivers and Telehealth Utilization in US Primary Care (2016–2024)
Examines the impact of COVID-19 federal policy waivers on the long-term sustainability of telehealth access. Provides a scoping review of 2016-2024 articles focused on telehealth utilization for primary care, the removal of geographic restrictions in telehealth policy, and the subsequent impact on healthcare access for rural areas.
Author(s): Abhilasha Bellapu, John Geracitano, Jamie Conklin, Saif Khairat
Citation: Advances in Health Information Science and Practice, 2(1), eRCTG8117
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the impact of COVID-19 federal policy waivers on the long-term sustainability of telehealth access. Provides a scoping review of 2016-2024 articles focused on telehealth utilization for primary care, the removal of geographic restrictions in telehealth policy, and the subsequent impact on healthcare access for rural areas.
Author(s): Abhilasha Bellapu, John Geracitano, Jamie Conklin, Saif Khairat
Citation: Advances in Health Information Science and Practice, 2(1), eRCTG8117
Date: 02/2026
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COVID-19: Federal Efforts to Support Behavioral Health Programs During the Pandemic
Describes how selected Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awardees provided behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how SAMHSA supported awardees' response to the pandemic. Discusses how SAMHSA's advisory councils and Policy Lab supported the agency's COVID-19 response. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes how selected Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awardees provided behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how SAMHSA supported awardees' response to the pandemic. Discusses how SAMHSA's advisory councils and Policy Lab supported the agency's COVID-19 response. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Multicounty Outbreak of Salmonella Agbeni Linked to Ice in a Cooler at a County Fair — Illinois, August 2024
Reports on a salmonella outbreak in Illinois that originated at a rural county fair. Describes how the outbreak was identified by the county sheriff during jury screening due to many in the jury pool being ill. Mentions the use of AI for hypothesis generation as a useful approach in this rural setting for situational awareness and early case finding.
Author(s): Katherine E. Houser
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(7), 93-97
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on a salmonella outbreak in Illinois that originated at a rural county fair. Describes how the outbreak was identified by the county sheriff during jury screening due to many in the jury pool being ill. Mentions the use of AI for hypothesis generation as a useful approach in this rural setting for situational awareness and early case finding.
Author(s): Katherine E. Houser
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(7), 93-97
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Cardiovascular Risk in Pregnant Women, United States
Examines the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) in pregnant women and the social determinants of health (SDOH). Utilizes 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey data and analyzes CVH risk according to patient demographics, health behaviors, social determinants, rural residence, and more.
Author(s): Shazia Shaukat, Jennifer Horney, Xiaopeng Ji, Christine Hoch, Lauren Covington
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) in pregnant women and the social determinants of health (SDOH). Utilizes 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey data and analyzes CVH risk according to patient demographics, health behaviors, social determinants, rural residence, and more.
Author(s): Shazia Shaukat, Jennifer Horney, Xiaopeng Ji, Christine Hoch, Lauren Covington
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 02/2026
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Geographic Distribution of Gastroenterologists and Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the United States
Analyzes the geographic distribution of gastroenterologists alongside patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Provides ratios on the availability of gastroenterologists per 100,000 people in the general population and per 100 patients with IBD. Includes data on rurality of gastroenterologists and patients as well as U.S. maps showing their distribution.
Author(s): Navneet Upadhyay, Aisha Vadhariya, Magdaliz Gorritz, et al.
Citation: Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology 17(2), e00953
Date: 02/2026
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Analyzes the geographic distribution of gastroenterologists alongside patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Provides ratios on the availability of gastroenterologists per 100,000 people in the general population and per 100 patients with IBD. Includes data on rurality of gastroenterologists and patients as well as U.S. maps showing their distribution.
Author(s): Navneet Upadhyay, Aisha Vadhariya, Magdaliz Gorritz, et al.
Citation: Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology 17(2), e00953
Date: 02/2026
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Mortality Trends Involving Fatal-Arrhythmias and Anemia in the United States: A Retrospective Analysis of 25 Years
Examines trends in mortality associated with cardiac arrhythmias among anemic adults using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data, with demographic and geographic data breakdowns. See Figure 4 and Supplemental Table 5 for rural-specific data.
Author(s): Sarim Hassan Shahab, Saim Jan, Abdul Wasay, et al.
Citation: Medicine, 105(8), e47838
Date: 02/2026
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Examines trends in mortality associated with cardiac arrhythmias among anemic adults using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data, with demographic and geographic data breakdowns. See Figure 4 and Supplemental Table 5 for rural-specific data.
Author(s): Sarim Hassan Shahab, Saim Jan, Abdul Wasay, et al.
Citation: Medicine, 105(8), e47838
Date: 02/2026
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Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis of Urban vs. Rural Survival Outcomes from the United States' National Cancer Institute, a SEER Based Study
Compares Merkel cell carcinoma survival outcomes among rural and urban patients using 2010-2021 SEER data. Discusses the role of access barriers on cancer mortality among rural populations.
Author(s): Grace Evelyn Steinback, Joycie Chang, Anand Rajpara, Michael Siscos
Citation: Clinical Surgical Oncology, 5(1), 100120
Date: 02/2026
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Compares Merkel cell carcinoma survival outcomes among rural and urban patients using 2010-2021 SEER data. Discusses the role of access barriers on cancer mortality among rural populations.
Author(s): Grace Evelyn Steinback, Joycie Chang, Anand Rajpara, Michael Siscos
Citation: Clinical Surgical Oncology, 5(1), 100120
Date: 02/2026
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Fourteen of Thirty Selected Indian Health Service and Rural Providers Did Not Comply or May Not Have Complied With Terms and Conditions and Federal Requirements for Expending Provider Relief Fund Payments
Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Trends in Respiratory Failure Mortality in the United States from 1999 to 2023
Examines changes over time in respiratory failure among adults aged 45 years and older, using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Breaks down data by demographic group, including metro-nonmetro comparisons.
Author(s): Yunfei Shu, Suihan Xu, Biao Zeng, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Medicine, 13, 1718556
Date: 02/2026
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Examines changes over time in respiratory failure among adults aged 45 years and older, using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Breaks down data by demographic group, including metro-nonmetro comparisons.
Author(s): Yunfei Shu, Suihan Xu, Biao Zeng, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Medicine, 13, 1718556
Date: 02/2026
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Nonventilator Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia: Prevalence and Hospital and Patient Characteristics, 2019-2023
Presents statistics on inpatient hospital stays involving nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NVHAP) between 2019-2023. Examines data by patient and hospital characteristics, including patient age group, urban or rural location, Critical Access Hospital status, and hospital ownership status.
Author(s): Rhona Limcangco, David P. Calfee, Melissa A. Miller
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Presents statistics on inpatient hospital stays involving nonventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia (NVHAP) between 2019-2023. Examines data by patient and hospital characteristics, including patient age group, urban or rural location, Critical Access Hospital status, and hospital ownership status.
Author(s): Rhona Limcangco, David P. Calfee, Melissa A. Miller
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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