Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Significant Mediation by Sadness and Self-Injury Is Observed in Associations Between County-Level Cyberbullying Victimization and Youth Suicidality in Rural New York State
Explores the relationship between cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and suicidality in rural counties in New York State. Highlights rates of bullying and cyberbullying, self-harm, recreational screen time, and other measures by demographic characteristic data.
Author(s): Laura E. Jones, Riya Nadkarni, Nicole Krupa
Citation: Journal of Affective Disorders, 401(15), 121270
Date: 05/2026
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Explores the relationship between cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and suicidality in rural counties in New York State. Highlights rates of bullying and cyberbullying, self-harm, recreational screen time, and other measures by demographic characteristic data.
Author(s): Laura E. Jones, Riya Nadkarni, Nicole Krupa
Citation: Journal of Affective Disorders, 401(15), 121270
Date: 05/2026
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Feasibility Study of a Screening Decision Tool for Allocating Adults into Food Is Medicine Programs as an Effective Approach to Target Clinical and Dietary Outcomes among Rural and Urban Adults
Examines the feasibility of utilizing a food insecurity screening tool to identify hypertension patients in a Kentucky hospital system needing medically tailored meals (MTM) or grocery prescription (Rx). Provides rural versus urban program comparisons, with data on clinical results as well as qualitative feedback from participants. Discusses the screening tool's effectiveness in identifying nutrition needs in both rural and urban patients.
Author(s): Alison Gustafson, Carolyn Lauckner, Joshua L. Bush, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 04/2026
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Examines the feasibility of utilizing a food insecurity screening tool to identify hypertension patients in a Kentucky hospital system needing medically tailored meals (MTM) or grocery prescription (Rx). Provides rural versus urban program comparisons, with data on clinical results as well as qualitative feedback from participants. Discusses the screening tool's effectiveness in identifying nutrition needs in both rural and urban patients.
Author(s): Alison Gustafson, Carolyn Lauckner, Joshua L. Bush, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 04/2026
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One Nation, Two Rural Health Crises: Georgia and Texas Show Why Local Data-Informed Solutions Matter
Discusses how local conditions, including socioeconomic pressures, chronic disease prevalence, and limited access to care, differently influence rural health needs and solutions in Georgia and Texas. Includes discussion of maternal health disparities and chronic disease prevalence as key topics requiring different solutions in different states.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: PCCI
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Discusses how local conditions, including socioeconomic pressures, chronic disease prevalence, and limited access to care, differently influence rural health needs and solutions in Georgia and Texas. Includes discussion of maternal health disparities and chronic disease prevalence as key topics requiring different solutions in different states.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: PCCI
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Patient-Centered Burdens and Economic Outcomes among Patients Who Are Veterans, People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and People Living in Rural Areas and Their Caregivers: A Scoping Review
Provides a literature review on patient-centered burdens and economic outcomes (PCBEOs) for military veterans, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and people living in rural areas. Includes 126 studies from 2015-2025 and examines for PCBEOs such as direct medical and non-medical monetary costs, indirect impacts such as unpaid caregiving and time off work, and intangible burdens such as delayed career advancement. Discusses emotional and psychological strain of PCBEOs among these groups.
Author(s): Naomi Buell, Ella Shenkar, Sydney Kirsch, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 04/2026
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Provides a literature review on patient-centered burdens and economic outcomes (PCBEOs) for military veterans, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and people living in rural areas. Includes 126 studies from 2015-2025 and examines for PCBEOs such as direct medical and non-medical monetary costs, indirect impacts such as unpaid caregiving and time off work, and intangible burdens such as delayed career advancement. Discusses emotional and psychological strain of PCBEOs among these groups.
Author(s): Naomi Buell, Ella Shenkar, Sydney Kirsch, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 04/2026
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2025 Kentucky Drug Overdose Fatality Report
Offers statistics on drug overdose deaths in Kentucky in 2025, based on autopsy and toxicology reports. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by type of drug and age-adjusted mortality rates by county. Includes county-level maps with shadings indicating numbers of deaths involving methamphetamine and fentanyl, and markings to show Appalachian counties.
Author(s): Meghan Steel, Mira Mirzaian, Lara Daniels
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, Kentucky Public Health Association, Team Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, University of Kentucky College of Public Health
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Offers statistics on drug overdose deaths in Kentucky in 2025, based on autopsy and toxicology reports. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by type of drug and age-adjusted mortality rates by county. Includes county-level maps with shadings indicating numbers of deaths involving methamphetamine and fentanyl, and markings to show Appalachian counties.
Author(s): Meghan Steel, Mira Mirzaian, Lara Daniels
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, Kentucky Public Health Association, Team Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, University of Kentucky College of Public Health
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MedPAC Comment on CMS's Proposed Rule on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility for FY 2027
Comments on an April 6, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential creation of an IRF-specific wage index and refinements to the IRF payment system, such as changes to IRF patient clinical classification. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Comments on an April 6, 2026, Federal Register proposed rule addressing updates to the prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for fiscal year 2026. Includes comments on the potential creation of an IRF-specific wage index and refinements to the IRF payment system, such as changes to IRF patient clinical classification. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Multi-Listing among Rural Kidney Transplant Recipients: A National Cohort Study
Explores the efficacy of multi-listing, or being added to waiting lists at more than two centers, for rural people who qualify for a kidney transplant as a method for improving rural transplantation rates. Breaks down data by patients characteristics of both recipients and donors and whether they were multi-listed prior to transplant.
Author(s): Erin R. Weeda, Arwen B. L. Declan, Patricia J. Greene, Derek A. DuBay
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70156
Date: 04/2026
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Explores the efficacy of multi-listing, or being added to waiting lists at more than two centers, for rural people who qualify for a kidney transplant as a method for improving rural transplantation rates. Breaks down data by patients characteristics of both recipients and donors and whether they were multi-listed prior to transplant.
Author(s): Erin R. Weeda, Arwen B. L. Declan, Patricia J. Greene, Derek A. DuBay
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70156
Date: 04/2026
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County-Level Social Determinants of Health and Suicide Mortality Trends Among Formerly Incarcerated Persons in North Carolina, 2010–2018
Assesses how county-level factors including educational attainment, unemployment, poverty, aging, racial composition, and rurality are associated with suicide mortality among formerly incarcerated people in North Carolina. Features statistics including mortality rate per 100,000 with breakdowns by year from 2010-2018 and rural or urban county.
Author(s): Monica E. Swilley-Martinez, Brian W. Pence, Kate Vinita Fitch, et al.
Citation: Heath & Justice, 14, 20
Date: 04/2026
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Assesses how county-level factors including educational attainment, unemployment, poverty, aging, racial composition, and rurality are associated with suicide mortality among formerly incarcerated people in North Carolina. Features statistics including mortality rate per 100,000 with breakdowns by year from 2010-2018 and rural or urban county.
Author(s): Monica E. Swilley-Martinez, Brian W. Pence, Kate Vinita Fitch, et al.
Citation: Heath & Justice, 14, 20
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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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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