Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Integrating Substance Use Disorder Prevention with Physical Health Care: Progress in States
Discusses how states can integrate substance use disorder (SUD) prevention with physical healthcare, including examples of integration activities that are applicable to rural settings. Highlights opportunities for behavioral health integration aimed at serving adolescents aged 12-18. Includes a rural case study example of a school-based health center SUD prevention program in Oregon.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Discusses how states can integrate substance use disorder (SUD) prevention with physical healthcare, including examples of integration activities that are applicable to rural settings. Highlights opportunities for behavioral health integration aimed at serving adolescents aged 12-18. Includes a rural case study example of a school-based health center SUD prevention program in Oregon.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Advancing Diagnostic Excellence in Rural Areas: Proceedings of a Workshop—in Brief
Summarizes proceedings from an October 2025 workshop discussing current diagnostic challenges in rural areas and identifying strategies for improvement. Covers topics including access to diagnosis, diagnosis-related health disparities, new technologies and innovations, workforce training, education, and support, and other innovations in diagnosis and patient-centered care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summarizes proceedings from an October 2025 workshop discussing current diagnostic challenges in rural areas and identifying strategies for improvement. Covers topics including access to diagnosis, diagnosis-related health disparities, new technologies and innovations, workforce training, education, and support, and other innovations in diagnosis and patient-centered care.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Bridging the Gap: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a New Rural Maternity Care Center Amid Nationwide Closures
Examines healthcare quality and access following the reopening of a maternity care center at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in a rural community that experienced a maternity unit closure. Includes data comparisons of rural maternity care center (MCC) versus suburban tertiary care center patient demographics, delivery outcomes, and patient experiences. Discusses policy efforts to improve access to rural maternal health.
Author(s): Kathryn Wouk, Ellen Chetwynd, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(1),102
Date: 01/2026
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Examines healthcare quality and access following the reopening of a maternity care center at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in a rural community that experienced a maternity unit closure. Includes data comparisons of rural maternity care center (MCC) versus suburban tertiary care center patient demographics, delivery outcomes, and patient experiences. Discusses policy efforts to improve access to rural maternal health.
Author(s): Kathryn Wouk, Ellen Chetwynd, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(1),102
Date: 01/2026
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Chain Reaction: Homegrown Programs Encourage Safe Biking in Rural Areas
Discusses the challenges rural areas may face in taking advantage of the health and other benefits of biking. Features a coalition that sponsors bike safety events in rural California, an Ohio library program for checking out bicycles, and bicycle advocacy work in rural Wisconsin.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses the challenges rural areas may face in taking advantage of the health and other benefits of biking. Features a coalition that sponsors bike safety events in rural California, an Ohio library program for checking out bicycles, and bicycle advocacy work in rural Wisconsin.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Mobile Telemedicine for Treating Chronic Hepatitis C among Rural People Who Inject Drugs: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Explores the efficacy of a mobile telemedicine-based intervention for hepatitis C (HCV) infections among rural people who inject drugs. Highlights the outcomes of the intervention in terms of treatment initiation, viral clearance, and reduced equipment sharing. Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, outcomes, and risks and probabilities, among other measures.
Author(s): Peter D. Friedmann, Donna Wilson, David de Gijsel, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(1), e2555125
Date: 01/2026
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Explores the efficacy of a mobile telemedicine-based intervention for hepatitis C (HCV) infections among rural people who inject drugs. Highlights the outcomes of the intervention in terms of treatment initiation, viral clearance, and reduced equipment sharing. Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, outcomes, and risks and probabilities, among other measures.
Author(s): Peter D. Friedmann, Donna Wilson, David de Gijsel, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(1), e2555125
Date: 01/2026
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Update: The Expanding Maternity Care Desert in Pennsylvania
Provides an overview of labor and delivery services in rural Pennsylvania and implications of limited access to maternity care. Features county-level maps showing locations of Pennsylvania hospitals with labor and delivery units and areas that are a 20-minute drive from a labor and delivery unit, as of 2026.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Provides an overview of labor and delivery services in rural Pennsylvania and implications of limited access to maternity care. Features county-level maps showing locations of Pennsylvania hospitals with labor and delivery units and areas that are a 20-minute drive from a labor and delivery unit, as of 2026.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Merging Law and Medicine: Patient Attitudes About and Experiences with Social Needs Screening and Medical-Legal Partnerships in Primary Care
Analyzes survey results of 502 adults who had visited a primary care provider in 2023 to investigate patient experiences with social needs screening (SNS) and medical-legal partnerships (MLP). Discusses rural patients' comfort with MLPs as an option to address social needs.
Author(s): Jamelia D. Graham, Jennifer L. Kraschnewski, Sophia I. Allen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 2026
Date: 01/2026
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Analyzes survey results of 502 adults who had visited a primary care provider in 2023 to investigate patient experiences with social needs screening (SNS) and medical-legal partnerships (MLP). Discusses rural patients' comfort with MLPs as an option to address social needs.
Author(s): Jamelia D. Graham, Jennifer L. Kraschnewski, Sophia I. Allen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 2026
Date: 01/2026
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Advancing Medicaid Primary Care Population-Based Payment Models: Four Lessons for States
Discusses the impact of Medicaid policy, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and reimbursement models on primary healthcare. Discusses population-based payment (PC PBP) and value-based payment (VBP) models, sharing examples from Colorado meant to enhance payments to rural and small primary care practices.
Author(s): Kelsey Brykman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses the impact of Medicaid policy, the Rural Health Transformation Program, and reimbursement models on primary healthcare. Discusses population-based payment (PC PBP) and value-based payment (VBP) models, sharing examples from Colorado meant to enhance payments to rural and small primary care practices.
Author(s): Kelsey Brykman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Management of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors by Rural and Urban Primary Care Practices
Results of a study comparing management of cardiovascular disease risk factors between rural and urban practices, using data from a national primary care registry from 2016-2020. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural areas.
Author(s): Lars E. Peterson, Zachary J. Morgan
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Results of a study comparing management of cardiovascular disease risk factors between rural and urban practices, using data from a national primary care registry from 2016-2020. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, and small rural areas.
Author(s): Lars E. Peterson, Zachary J. Morgan
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Examining Rural Community Pharmacists' Knowledge and Practices in Opioid Overdose Prevention and Treatment Services in the Southeastern United States
Highlights a study on the knowledge and practices of rural pharmacists around opioid use disorder-related education and counseling in the Southeastern U.S. Presents data by pharmacist demographic characteristics, knowledge, and experience with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
Author(s): Stefanie P. Ferreri, Paige Q. Ngo, Kaileigh D. Yen, Kevin Wang, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 23(11)
Date: 01/2026
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Highlights a study on the knowledge and practices of rural pharmacists around opioid use disorder-related education and counseling in the Southeastern U.S. Presents data by pharmacist demographic characteristics, knowledge, and experience with medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).
Author(s): Stefanie P. Ferreri, Paige Q. Ngo, Kaileigh D. Yen, Kevin Wang, et al.
Citation: Harm Reduction Journal, 23(11)
Date: 01/2026
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