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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions

The Lived Experiences and Unmet Needs of Prostate and Colorectal Male Cancer Survivors in Rural Virginia: A Qualitative Study
Analyzes unmet needs and lived experiences of 24 male cancer survivors living in rural Virginia. Utilizes focus group feedback to discuss themes such as coping with health problems, quality of and access to healthcare, navigating survivorship, and cancer prevention advocacy.
Author(s): Fariha Tariq, Alexander R. Lucas, Sherrick Hill, Malik Philips, Vanessa B. Sheppard
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing the Diabetes Prevention Program in Rural Church Settings: A Qualitative Study Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research
Analyzes the effectiveness of implementing a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) in a rural church setting in Georgia. Utilizes feedback from interviews with church leaders and lifestyle coaches to discuss facilitators, such as academic partnerships and evidence-based programming, as well as barriers, such as transportation, childcare issues, prohibitive health problems, and more.
Author(s): Smita Rawal, Caleb A. Snead, Frantz D. Soiro, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Association Between Obesogenic Environments and Childhood Overweight/Obesity Across the United States: Differences by Rurality
Examines the impact of environmental factors on childhood obesity in rural areas. Utilizes the Childhood Obesogenic Environment Index (COEI) to analyze statistical differences in rural versus urban counties in the U.S. Discusses the relationship of COEI variables and childhood overweight/obesity rates.
Author(s): Kara Davis, Demetrius A. Abshire, Courtney Monroe, Caroline Rudisill, Andrew T. Kaczynski
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Travel Burden and Bypassing Closest Site for Surgical Cancer Treatment for Urban and Rural Oncology Patients
Examines travel burden to surgical cancer care and its relationship to rurality, bypassing of the nearest surgical site, and mortality rates. Analyzes 2016-218 data of 211,025 Medicare beneficiaries with cancer and includes breakdowns for type of cancer, surgery versus no surgery, patient demographics, patient health conditions, travel time, mortality rates, and location of metro, micro, or small town/rural.
Author(s): Tracy Onega, Niveditta Ramkumar, Gabriel A. Brooks, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Drive Time to Care and Retention in HIV Care: Rural–Urban Differences Among Medicaid Enrollees in the United States South
Presents a study on the role geography plays in HIV care retention and maintenance. Draws data from Medicaid enrollees in 13 southern states including the District of Columbia and compares patient drive times to care in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by county social determinants of health, healthcare supply, and HIV prevalence, as well as patient characteristics.
Author(s): April D. Kimmel, Rose S. Bono, Zhongzhe Pan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12877
Date: 2025
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Trends in and Factors Associated with Family Physician-Performed Screening Colonoscopies in the United States: 2016-2021
Examines factors and trends related to family physician (FP)-performed colonoscopy screenings. Analyzes 2016-2021 insurance claims data from 2,943,900 qualified colonoscopies, with data breakdowns according to patient demographics, accrued charges, region, and urban-rural classification, including large central metro, large fringe metro, medium metro, small metro, micropolitan, and noncore. Discusses the impact of FP-performed colonoscopy screenings for certain populations, including rural.
Author(s): Nicholas Edwardson, David van der Goes, V. Shane Pankratz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1)
Date: 2025
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Provider-to-Provider Telemedicine for Sepsis Is Used Less Frequently in Communities with High Social Vulnerability
Examines the relationship between provider-to-provider emergency department-based telehealth consultation (tele-ED) and the prevalence of sepsis in counties with elevated social vulnerability index (SVI) scores. Analyzes 2016-2019 data from 1191 patients treated in rural, Midwestern EDs, with breakdowns according to patient, provider, hospital, and county characteristics. Discusses the relationship between SVI scores and tele-ED use.
Author(s): Kevin J. Tu, J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Uche E. Okoro, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12861
Date: 2025
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Barriers to Participation in Clinical Trials of Rural Older Adult Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Study
Explores barriers to clinical trial participation for older cancer survivors living in rural areas. Utilizes semi-structured interviews to discuss challenges such as lack of transportation, limited communication with providers, age, and more.
Author(s): Evelyn Arana-Chicas, Laura M. Hincapie Prisco, Saloni Sharma, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12852
Date: 2025
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Human Cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in New Mexico, 1975-2025
Provides a county map of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) cases in New Mexico from 1975-2024, with additional maps for each year from 2014-2024. Includes charts that represent cases by year, mortality, cases by month, and demographic data.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Feasibility of a Remote Patient Video Education Intervention to Improve Care Coordination for Rural Cancer Patients
Examines the feasibility, patient satisfaction, and acceptability of a video education intervention focused on cancer care coordination among 19 cancer patients in rural Hawaii.
Author(s): Izumi Okado, Christa Braun-Inglis, Kehau Matsumoto, et al.
Citation: Journal of Cancer Education, 40, 594-599
Date: 12/2024
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