Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities
Examining Rural Disparities in Cigarette Smoking Among U.S. Women by Chronological Age: 2002–2022
Presents a study on rural disparities in rates of cigarette smoking among women from 2002 to 2022. Draws data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and examines correlative factors, such as age, educational attainment, and income, among others.
Author(s): Stephen T. Higgins, Tyler G. Erath, Fang Fang Chen, Michael J. DeSarno
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 201, 108359
Date: 12/2025
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Presents a study on rural disparities in rates of cigarette smoking among women from 2002 to 2022. Draws data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and examines correlative factors, such as age, educational attainment, and income, among others.
Author(s): Stephen T. Higgins, Tyler G. Erath, Fang Fang Chen, Michael J. DeSarno
Citation: Preventive Medicine, 201, 108359
Date: 12/2025
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Impact of Race/Ethnicity Reporting Methods: Health Disparities Among American Indians/Alaska Natives
Analyzes how race and ethnicity classification methods influence demographic and health status data among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people in New Mexico, utilizing 2018-2022 New Mexico BRFSS data. Discusses perspectives provided by tribal health organizations and implications for future data collection and research.
Author(s): Stephanie Lashway, Desirae Martinez
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Analyzes how race and ethnicity classification methods influence demographic and health status data among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people in New Mexico, utilizing 2018-2022 New Mexico BRFSS data. Discusses perspectives provided by tribal health organizations and implications for future data collection and research.
Author(s): Stephanie Lashway, Desirae Martinez
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Severe Maternal Morbidity and Mortality After Delivery Hospitalization Among Rural Residents Bypassing Local Care for Urban Hospitals
Examines severe maternal morbidity and mortality (SMMM) when labor and delivery patients bypass rural, local hospitals to give birth at urban hospitals. Analyzes 235,375 rural versus urban births in South Carolina and associated 1-year postpartum follow-up visit data for rates of SMMM.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Haoyuan Gao, Jihong Liu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(11), e2544522
Date: 11/2025
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Examines severe maternal morbidity and mortality (SMMM) when labor and delivery patients bypass rural, local hospitals to give birth at urban hospitals. Analyzes 235,375 rural versus urban births in South Carolina and associated 1-year postpartum follow-up visit data for rates of SMMM.
Author(s): Peiyin Hung, Haoyuan Gao, Jihong Liu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(11), e2544522
Date: 11/2025
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Urban-Rural Disparities in Spatiotemporal Accessibility of Pharmacy Care: A Case Study of Vermont, USA
Examines geographic access to pharmacy care in Vermont. Assesses spatiotemporal accessibility by analyzing pharmacy locations, hours of operation, and staffing levels according to county as well as metro, micro, or rural location.
Author(s): Samuel Roubin, Joseph Holler, Peter Kedron
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 1484
Date: 11/2025
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Examines geographic access to pharmacy care in Vermont. Assesses spatiotemporal accessibility by analyzing pharmacy locations, hours of operation, and staffing levels according to county as well as metro, micro, or rural location.
Author(s): Samuel Roubin, Joseph Holler, Peter Kedron
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 1484
Date: 11/2025
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Recovery Through a Disability Lens: Impacts of the 2023 Maui Wildfires on Disability Equity and Shared Prosperity
Reports on the impacts of the August 2023 Hawaii wildfires on the housing, employment and income, health, and life satisfaction of West Maui or Kula residents with disabilities. Details how disaster preparedness and recovery policy influence health and quality-of-life disparities for people with disabilities.
Additional links: Plain Language Version
Author(s): Daniela Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez, Alika Maunakea
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai'i
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Reports on the impacts of the August 2023 Hawaii wildfires on the housing, employment and income, health, and life satisfaction of West Maui or Kula residents with disabilities. Details how disaster preparedness and recovery policy influence health and quality-of-life disparities for people with disabilities.
Additional links: Plain Language Version
Author(s): Daniela Bond-Smith, Ruben Juarez, Alika Maunakea
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Economic Research Organization at the University of Hawai'i
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Redefining Rurality: Adopting an Identity-Based and Community-Engaged Approach to Defining Rural Cancer Disparities
Discusses how rural definitions influence cancer disparities research via an examination of perspectives originally presented at the Transforming Community and Rural Healthcare 2024 conference. Details limitations and inconsistencies in current rural definitions and highlights the value of community-based participatory research and identity-based approaches to rurality.
Author(s): Trevor Kauer, Courtny L. Franco, Dominique D. Munroe, et al.
Citation: JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Date: 11/2025
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Discusses how rural definitions influence cancer disparities research via an examination of perspectives originally presented at the Transforming Community and Rural Healthcare 2024 conference. Details limitations and inconsistencies in current rural definitions and highlights the value of community-based participatory research and identity-based approaches to rurality.
Author(s): Trevor Kauer, Courtny L. Franco, Dominique D. Munroe, et al.
Citation: JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Date: 11/2025
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Rural/Urban Differences among American Indian/Alaska Native Peoples in Health Care Access and Outcomes, 2019–2023
Compares health outcomes and healthcare utilization metrics for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) rural and urban residents using 2019-2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Discusses the impact of various sociodemographic factors and the Indian Health Service (IHS) on study findings.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Hailey A. Baker, Julia D. Interrante, Kyle X. Hill, Melissa L. Walls
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 2025
Date: 11/2025
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Compares health outcomes and healthcare utilization metrics for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) rural and urban residents using 2019-2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Discusses the impact of various sociodemographic factors and the Indian Health Service (IHS) on study findings.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Hailey A. Baker, Julia D. Interrante, Kyle X. Hill, Melissa L. Walls
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 2025
Date: 11/2025
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Early Estimates of Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities and Fatality Rate by Sub-Categories For the First Half (January-June) of 2025
Presents projections of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the first half of 2025. Includes data for rural versus urban roads, among other measures. Compares 2024 fatality data to 2025 rates by month for a number of indicators, including rural areas.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Presents projections of traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the first half of 2025. Includes data for rural versus urban roads, among other measures. Compares 2024 fatality data to 2025 rates by month for a number of indicators, including rural areas.
Date: 11/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Leveraging the Rural-Urban Commuting Area Tool to Address Geographic Disparities in Cancer Care: A Dual-Application Framework for Institutional and National Initiatives
Details an open-access Rural-Urban Community Area (RUCA) tool to standardize patients' geographic coding in cancer disparities research by integrating RUCA codes with census tract and electronic health record system data. Provides data on the tool's application, utilizing 2023 cancer registry data provided by Wake Forest Cancer Center in North Carolina.
Author(s): Meredith C.B. Adams, Cody L. Hudson, Matthew L. Perkins, Robert W. Hurley, Umit Topaloglu
Citation: JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, 9, e2500122
Date: 11/2025
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Details an open-access Rural-Urban Community Area (RUCA) tool to standardize patients' geographic coding in cancer disparities research by integrating RUCA codes with census tract and electronic health record system data. Provides data on the tool's application, utilizing 2023 cancer registry data provided by Wake Forest Cancer Center in North Carolina.
Author(s): Meredith C.B. Adams, Cody L. Hudson, Matthew L. Perkins, Robert W. Hurley, Umit Topaloglu
Citation: JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, 9, e2500122
Date: 11/2025
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County-Level Vulnerability Is Associated With Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment Among Rural Suicide Decedents: A National Multi-Year Cross-Sectional Study
Presents a study on the relationship between individual- and county-level factors that correlate with rural suicide decedents who receive mental health and substance use dependence treatment. Breaks down data by county-level factors, such as number of mental health providers, number of primary care providers, and rate of social associations, among others, as well as individual characteristics, such as age, sex, education, and marital status, among others.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Victor A. Soupene, Jennifer Van Tiem, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70094
Date: 11/2025
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Presents a study on the relationship between individual- and county-level factors that correlate with rural suicide decedents who receive mental health and substance use dependence treatment. Breaks down data by county-level factors, such as number of mental health providers, number of primary care providers, and rate of social associations, among others, as well as individual characteristics, such as age, sex, education, and marital status, among others.
Author(s): J. Priyanka Vakkalanka, Victor A. Soupene, Jennifer Van Tiem, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70094
Date: 11/2025
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