Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
How Primary Care Medics Can Bring Needed Health Care to Rural Americans
Describes Penn State College of Medicine's Primary Care Medic Project, a certificate-based pathway under development that will train local individuals to deliver primary and preventive care under the supervision of licensed clinicians. Discusses how primary care medics will fill gaps between community-based outreach and licensed primary care providers. Compares the scope of practice of primary care medics with those of community health workers, paramedics, and registered nurses, among others.
Author(s): Mark B. Stephens, Robin W. Weinick
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Describes Penn State College of Medicine's Primary Care Medic Project, a certificate-based pathway under development that will train local individuals to deliver primary and preventive care under the supervision of licensed clinicians. Discusses how primary care medics will fill gaps between community-based outreach and licensed primary care providers. Compares the scope of practice of primary care medics with those of community health workers, paramedics, and registered nurses, among others.
Author(s): Mark B. Stephens, Robin W. Weinick
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Bicyclists and Other Cyclists
National data on fatal and non-fatal traffic crashes involving bicyclists and other cyclists, including riders of two-wheel vehicles, tricycles, and unicycles powered by pedals and/or motors. Features statistics from 2015-2024 with breakdowns including fatality and injury rates, age group, sex, time of day and day of the week, alcohol involvement, blood alcohol concentrations of riders, vehicle type and impact point, fatality rates by state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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National data on fatal and non-fatal traffic crashes involving bicyclists and other cyclists, including riders of two-wheel vehicles, tricycles, and unicycles powered by pedals and/or motors. Features statistics from 2015-2024 with breakdowns including fatality and injury rates, age group, sex, time of day and day of the week, alcohol involvement, blood alcohol concentrations of riders, vehicle type and impact point, fatality rates by state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Rural/Urban Traffic Fatalities
Reports 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data describing fatal motor vehicle crashes. Provides rural versus urban statistics for fatal motor vehicle crashes by light condition, roadway departure and intersection, age group, speeding, alcohol use, seat belt use, and rollover crashes. Includes statistics on ratio of rural to urban fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, by state, as of 2024.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Reports 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data describing fatal motor vehicle crashes. Provides rural versus urban statistics for fatal motor vehicle crashes by light condition, roadway departure and intersection, age group, speeding, alcohol use, seat belt use, and rollover crashes. Includes statistics on ratio of rural to urban fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, by state, as of 2024.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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State Innovations in Improving Access to Care for Adults with Complex Needs in Rural Communities
Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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New Mexico STD Program Summary of Surveillance Data: 2025
Reports on sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates for New Mexico. Compares New Mexico rates to U.S. rates over time and provides STD rates for each New Mexico county for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis.
Author(s): Janine Waters, Miranda Durham, Angie Bartok
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Reports on sexually transmitted disease (STD) rates for New Mexico. Compares New Mexico rates to U.S. rates over time and provides STD rates for each New Mexico county for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, and Syphilis.
Author(s): Janine Waters, Miranda Durham, Angie Bartok
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Rural Sepsis Care in Action: Real-world Insights and Successes Through CDC's Sepsis Core Elements
Summarizes virtual learning sessions with three rural healthcare organizations regarding the implementation and advancement of sepsis improvement efforts. Discusses practical strategies to improve sepsis care delivery, implementation approaches from rural hospitals, and lessons learned.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Summarizes virtual learning sessions with three rural healthcare organizations regarding the implementation and advancement of sepsis improvement efforts. Discusses practical strategies to improve sepsis care delivery, implementation approaches from rural hospitals, and lessons learned.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Trends in Rural and Urban Family Physician Teaching of Health Professions Students and Residents
Compares the amount of early career family physicians offering clinical instruction to health professions students in rural and urban areas. Analyzes the types of students being taught, such as premedical, medical, residents, or fellows, among others, as well as practice characteristics of the settings where physicians were engaged in teaching.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lars E. Peterson, Davis G. Patterson, et al.
Citation: Family Medicine, 266557
Date: 07/2026
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Compares the amount of early career family physicians offering clinical instruction to health professions students in rural and urban areas. Analyzes the types of students being taught, such as premedical, medical, residents, or fellows, among others, as well as practice characteristics of the settings where physicians were engaged in teaching.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lars E. Peterson, Davis G. Patterson, et al.
Citation: Family Medicine, 266557
Date: 07/2026
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Geographic and Social Equity in Population-Wide Genomic Screening
Examines whether combining implementation science and informatics infrastructure supports population-wide genomic screening, and assesses screening coverage by rurality and social disadvantage. Uses data collected from 2021-2025 in South Carolina. Features statistics with breakdowns by 9 levels population density.
Author(s): Kalyani Sonawane, Daniel P. Judge, Ella Moore, Samantha Norman, Caitlin G. Allen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(7), e2622743
Date: 07/2026
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Examines whether combining implementation science and informatics infrastructure supports population-wide genomic screening, and assesses screening coverage by rurality and social disadvantage. Uses data collected from 2021-2025 in South Carolina. Features statistics with breakdowns by 9 levels population density.
Author(s): Kalyani Sonawane, Daniel P. Judge, Ella Moore, Samantha Norman, Caitlin G. Allen
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(7), e2622743
Date: 07/2026
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Structural Vulnerability in the United States Radiation Oncology Delivery System: Predictors and Consequences of Practice Site Disappearance
Examines the impact of radiation oncology (RO) practice site disappearance on treatment capacity in U.S. counties. Utilizes 2018-2025 data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services National Downloadable File to analyze RO practice sites according to urban, rural-adjacent, or rural-nonadjacent county location, hospital affiliation, and county sociodemographics. Includes county-level U.S. map showing RO site growth, loss, or stability.
Author(s): Catherine Yu, Sifan Grace Lu, Danielle Arons, Jared P. Rowley, Kunal K. Sindhu
Citation: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
Date: 07/2026
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Examines the impact of radiation oncology (RO) practice site disappearance on treatment capacity in U.S. counties. Utilizes 2018-2025 data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services National Downloadable File to analyze RO practice sites according to urban, rural-adjacent, or rural-nonadjacent county location, hospital affiliation, and county sociodemographics. Includes county-level U.S. map showing RO site growth, loss, or stability.
Author(s): Catherine Yu, Sifan Grace Lu, Danielle Arons, Jared P. Rowley, Kunal K. Sindhu
Citation: International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
Date: 07/2026
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Postoperative Pain Management in Rural Communities
Describes the University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence's approach to addressing opioid overprescribing after surgery. Discusses topics including provider engagement, patient empowerment and effective communication strategies, and rural implementation concerns.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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Describes the University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence's approach to addressing opioid overprescribing after surgery. Discusses topics including provider engagement, patient empowerment and effective communication strategies, and rural implementation concerns.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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