Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Cannabis Assessment in Oncology Patients—Evaluation Survey: Understanding Usage Patterns in a Rural Radiation Cohort in Kentucky
Explores the use and perceptions of unprescribed medicinal cannabis among 237 adults receiving radiation therapy in Kentucky between July 2023 and February 2024. Includes comparisons by rural or urban dwelling and treatment location.
Author(s): Evans Amoah, Waleed F. Mourad, Marcus E. Randall, et al.
Citation: The Oncologist, 31(11), oyag370
Date: 09/2026
view details
Understanding Rurality and Associated Suicide Risks: Perspectives of Adolescents and Caregivers
Presents a study of how rural adolescents and their caregivers perceive rural communities and suicide risks in rural environments. Bases findings on semi-structured interviews with 27 adolescents and caregivers each, and discusses barriers to mental healthcare, access to lethal means, and the role of stigma, among other factors.
Author(s): Sophia E. Allen, Gwenyth Gasper, Hannah B. Leavitt, et al.
Citation: Academic Pediatrics, 26(7), 103402
Date: 09/2026
view details
North Carolina Rural Health and Opportunities for Transformation
Issue of the North Carolina Medical Journal, containing articles describing successes in North Carolina rural health and ways in which obstacles are being addressed. Topics include data collection, graduate medical education, emergency care, affordability, the Rural Health Transformation Program, AI, and more.
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 87(3)
Date: 09/2026
view details
Traffic Safety Facts, 2025: North Dakota Truck Crash Facts
Provide statistics on crashes involving trucks in North Dakota from 2018 through 2025. Includes data on cause of crash, manner of collision, location of collision, injuries and fatalities, and if the crash happened on a rural versus urban road.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
view details
Growing the Rural Physician Workforce Through Graduate Medical Education
Describes ways in which state and federal initiatives are working to expand rural medical training in North Carolina. Features statistics on physician residency programs with rural and community health center sites from 2008-2024.
Author(s): Emily M. Hawes, Mukesh Adhikari, Mark Holmes, et al.
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 87(3)
Date: 09/2026
view details
Closer to Home: Strengthening Rural Emergency Care Through EMS, Trauma Systems, and Mobile Integrated Health
Describes ways in which North Carolina is improving rural healthcare by connecting emergency medical services, mobile integrated health, and trauma systems. Discusses the state's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) investment and offers suggestions for ensuring sustainable funding, workforce investment, and regional partnerships.
Author(s): Kimberly Clement
Citation: North Carolina Medical Journal, 87(3)
Date: 09/2026
view details
September 2026 MACPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's (MACPAC) September 2026 meeting. Covers community engagement requirements in Medicaid, state directed payments and healthcare-related taxes, a comparison of an updated inpatient hospital payment index across states, utilization management for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in Medicaid, and Medicaid coverage of assistive technology for adults, among other things. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Medicaid Coverage of Assistive Technology for Adults: Data Analysis and Stakeholder Interviews
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
view details
2026 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report
Report highlights the rate of suicide among veterans and the VA's role in suicide prevention. Discusses the risk factors for veteran suicide and the steps the VA is taking for suicide prevention. Breaks down rates of suicide by sex, contact with the VHA, and rurality, among other factors.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
view details
Geographic Accessibility of Burn Centers in the United States
Examines access to burn centers in the contiguous U.S. according to geography and community income. Analyzes location of burn centers by region and rurality and includes county-level maps showing median household income as well as distance and drive time to nearest burn center.
Author(s): Philong Nguyen, Joshua Wang, Yousef Tanas, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2636854
Date: 09/2026
view details
Rural Initiatives Aim to Reach 'Overlooked' Patients in Multiple Sclerosis Deserts
Highlights programs to improve care for people with multiple sclerosis living in rural areas. Describes the importance of early diagnosis and treatment and challenges accessing specialty care. Features an online training program for primary care providers, a pilot program focused on community health workers, and a Veterans Administration telehealth program providing neurologist consultations.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details