Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Driver Electronic Device Use in 2024
National data on driver use of electronic devices from 2015-2024. Features statistics on percentage of drivers holding cellphones to their ears, speaking with visible headsets, and visibly manipulating handheld devices while driving, with breakdowns including age, sex, race, and urban or rural location. Includes tables listing states banning texting and use of handheld cellphones while driving, as of June 2024.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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National data on driver use of electronic devices from 2015-2024. Features statistics on percentage of drivers holding cellphones to their ears, speaking with visible headsets, and visibly manipulating handheld devices while driving, with breakdowns including age, sex, race, and urban or rural location. Includes tables listing states banning texting and use of handheld cellphones while driving, as of June 2024.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Coping Power-Rural: A Pilot Study of the Two-Tiered Preventive Intervention Focused on Addressing Transdiagnostic Needs in Rural Schools
Examines a pilot study of the Coping Power-Rural program, a mental health program designed for elementary and middle school students living in rural areas. Reports on the impact of the program with pre- and post-test data from school staff and students, focused on issues such as conduct problems, internalizing problems, teacher efficacy, burnout, family involvement, and more.
Author(s): Catherine P. Bradshaw, Courtney G. Newman, Katelyn Birchfield, et al.
Citation: School Mental Health
Date: 04/2026
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Examines a pilot study of the Coping Power-Rural program, a mental health program designed for elementary and middle school students living in rural areas. Reports on the impact of the program with pre- and post-test data from school staff and students, focused on issues such as conduct problems, internalizing problems, teacher efficacy, burnout, family involvement, and more.
Author(s): Catherine P. Bradshaw, Courtney G. Newman, Katelyn Birchfield, et al.
Citation: School Mental Health
Date: 04/2026
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Emergency Department Visits and Deaths Due to ATV Crashes - Alaska, 2019 - 2024
Describes the geographic distribution, age range, and injury type of 4,421 all-terrain vehicle (ATVs) related emergency department visits in Alaska between 2019 and 2024. Discusses frequent use of ATVs in rural Alaska and offers safety messaging for use in intervention initiatives.
Author(s): Joe McLaughlin, Jared Parrish
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Department of Health
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Describes the geographic distribution, age range, and injury type of 4,421 all-terrain vehicle (ATVs) related emergency department visits in Alaska between 2019 and 2024. Discusses frequent use of ATVs in rural Alaska and offers safety messaging for use in intervention initiatives.
Author(s): Joe McLaughlin, Jared Parrish
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Department of Health
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A Closer Look at Rural Nursing Homes
Compares characteristics of nursing homes in rural and urban areas including patient population data, distribution, and ownership. Also discusses payer mix, healthcare quality, and staffing levels. Highlights changes between 2015 and 2025 for some data.
Author(s): Priya Chidambaram, Alice Burns, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Compares characteristics of nursing homes in rural and urban areas including patient population data, distribution, and ownership. Also discusses payer mix, healthcare quality, and staffing levels. Highlights changes between 2015 and 2025 for some data.
Author(s): Priya Chidambaram, Alice Burns, Robin Rudowitz
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Controlled, Before-and-After Analysis and Pre–Post Surveys to Assess the Effects of a Community-Wide Sanitation System on Environmental Contamination, Infection Risk and Well-Being in Alabama's Black Belt: Study Protocol
A study protocol focused on implementation of a community-wide sanitation system in a rural area of Alabama. Utilizes controlled, before-and-after (CBA) data collection of pathogens and bacteria to analyze impact of sanitation systems on public health and well-being.
Author(s): Olivia A. Harmon, Megan E. J. Lott, David A. Holcomb, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 16(4), e108477
Date: 04/2026
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A study protocol focused on implementation of a community-wide sanitation system in a rural area of Alabama. Utilizes controlled, before-and-after (CBA) data collection of pathogens and bacteria to analyze impact of sanitation systems on public health and well-being.
Author(s): Olivia A. Harmon, Megan E. J. Lott, David A. Holcomb, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 16(4), e108477
Date: 04/2026
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Expanding Zero Suicide: Qualitative Assessment of Community Mental Health Center Partnerships Supporting Rural Suicide Prevention
Examines the impact of the Zero Suicide framework and its ability to promote community mental health supports. Utilizes semi-structured interview feedback from Zero Suicide organizations served by a Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) and discusses suicide prevention partnerships, information sharing, and staffing in rural areas.
Author(s): Ryan Marawala, Thomas Delaney
Citation: Community Mental Health Journal
Date: 04/2026
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Examines the impact of the Zero Suicide framework and its ability to promote community mental health supports. Utilizes semi-structured interview feedback from Zero Suicide organizations served by a Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) and discusses suicide prevention partnerships, information sharing, and staffing in rural areas.
Author(s): Ryan Marawala, Thomas Delaney
Citation: Community Mental Health Journal
Date: 04/2026
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The Distribution of the Youth Behavioral Health Workforce in Rural and Urban America in 2025
Examines the distribution of school counselors; youth, family, or school psychologists; youth or family mental health nurses; school social workers; and pediatric psychiatrists or behavioral pediatricians across rural and urban areas of the U.S. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and location by 6 levels of population density, and a county-level map with shadings showing rural counties with and without youth behavioral health clinicians.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the distribution of school counselors; youth, family, or school psychologists; youth or family mental health nurses; school social workers; and pediatric psychiatrists or behavioral pediatricians across rural and urban areas of the U.S. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and location by 6 levels of population density, and a county-level map with shadings showing rural counties with and without youth behavioral health clinicians.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Medicaid Home Care Chartbook
Provides an overview of home care services within the Medicaid program, including participant eligibility, types of services delivered, inclusion in managed care arrangements, and provider distribution. Includes data on the percentage of home care recipients and location of providers in 2023 by Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Code.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Health Management Associates, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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Provides an overview of home care services within the Medicaid program, including participant eligibility, types of services delivered, inclusion in managed care arrangements, and provider distribution. Includes data on the percentage of home care recipients and location of providers in 2023 by Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Code.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Health Management Associates, National Alliance for Care at Home, Research Institute for Home Care
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Alabama Vital Statistics, 2023
Statistics on births, deaths, marriage, and population in Alabama in 2023. Includes birth rate, maternal demographics and characteristics, causes of death, divorces and annulments, population estimates, and more. Provides county-by-county data, including county-level maps.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Public Health
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Statistics on births, deaths, marriage, and population in Alabama in 2023. Includes birth rate, maternal demographics and characteristics, causes of death, divorces and annulments, population estimates, and more. Provides county-by-county data, including county-level maps.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Public Health
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Exploring the Geographic Variation of Hepatitis C Screening and Treatment in Ohio
Examines geographic differences in hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment across Ohio. Utilizes State of Ohio Integrated Behavioral Health Dashboard data to provide a county-level map showing number of HCV screening exams and people treated for HCV per 100,000 people as well as location of health center testing sites.
Author(s): Michael Topmiller, Aaron T. Vissman, Peter J. Mallow, Adam Visconti
Citation: Ohio Journal of Public Health, 8(1)
Date: 04/2026
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Examines geographic differences in hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening and treatment across Ohio. Utilizes State of Ohio Integrated Behavioral Health Dashboard data to provide a county-level map showing number of HCV screening exams and people treated for HCV per 100,000 people as well as location of health center testing sites.
Author(s): Michael Topmiller, Aaron T. Vissman, Peter J. Mallow, Adam Visconti
Citation: Ohio Journal of Public Health, 8(1)
Date: 04/2026
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