Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
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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Model Standards for Crisis Care Workers
Proposes national standards for crisis care workers responding to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other behavioral health hotlines. Outlines 10 different standards for crisis care workers, such as core values and competencies; education, training, and qualifications; and standards for supervision, among others. Discusses some considerations for rural communities, such as lack of transportation and workforce shortages.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Proposes national standards for crisis care workers responding to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and other behavioral health hotlines. Outlines 10 different standards for crisis care workers, such as core values and competencies; education, training, and qualifications; and standards for supervision, among others. Discusses some considerations for rural communities, such as lack of transportation and workforce shortages.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Willingness of Older Adults to Travel for Medical Care
Presents results from a survey of 2650 adults aged 65 years and older on their willingness to travel for primary care, specialty care, and one-time diagnostic appointments. See Table 3 for metro-nonmetro data comparisons, among other demographic data breakdowns.
Author(s): Jeremy Burke, Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Wei Ye, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2560280
Date: 02/2026
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Presents results from a survey of 2650 adults aged 65 years and older on their willingness to travel for primary care, specialty care, and one-time diagnostic appointments. See Table 3 for metro-nonmetro data comparisons, among other demographic data breakdowns.
Author(s): Jeremy Burke, Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Wei Ye, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2560280
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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Methamphetamine Use, Mental Health Comorbidities, and Treatment in Rural and Urban Areas, 2016-2019
Examines the prevalence of methamphetamine use by level of rurality and U.S. region, with data on methamphetamine use and mental illness, suicide and suicidal ideation, concurrent alcohol use, treatment for methamphetamine use disorder, method of use, and other relating to methamphetamine use prevalence and associated risks.
Author(s): Signe E. Burchim, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the prevalence of methamphetamine use by level of rurality and U.S. region, with data on methamphetamine use and mental illness, suicide and suicidal ideation, concurrent alcohol use, treatment for methamphetamine use disorder, method of use, and other relating to methamphetamine use prevalence and associated risks.
Author(s): Signe E. Burchim, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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State Medicaid & CHIP Toolkit for Children's Behavioral Health Services and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) Requirements
Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Delivering Quality: Maternity Care Innovation in Critical Access Hospitals
Presents case studies of six Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that are high performers on maternity care quality measures. Summarizes interviews with leaders from each CAH regarding the benefits of their Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, use of safety bundles, training activities, and other successes in providing maternity care.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Hamdi Abas, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Presents case studies of six Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) that are high performers on maternity care quality measures. Summarizes interviews with leaders from each CAH regarding the benefits of their Perinatal Quality Collaboratives, use of safety bundles, training activities, and other successes in providing maternity care.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Hamdi Abas, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Geospatial Structural Isolation Analysis of Emergency Services in New York State
Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel-time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Examines access to emergency healthcare across rural New York State. Utilizes geospatial analysis to analyze hospital isolation, inter-facility spacing, travel-time catchments, coverage responsibilities, and more. Includes state-level maps showing location of emergency services, coverage area of the most isolated healthcare facilities, and catchment areas for healthcare facilities with emergency access along with populations served.
Author(s): Brandon Bedenbender
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70126
Date: 02/2026
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Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part One
A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Additional links: Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part Two
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Additional links: Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part Two
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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