Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Infectious diseases
Mapping Spatial and Social Inequities of Long COVID Across the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines spatiotemporal variables and social determinants as correlated with the Omicron variant and long COVID health risk. Analyzes 5,652,474 COVID-19 cases and 41,694 long COVID cases according to year, location, U.S. region, risk level of county, and social determinants, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zhetao Chen, Bingnan Lib, Yewen Chen, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 56, 101401
Date: 04/2026
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Examines spatiotemporal variables and social determinants as correlated with the Omicron variant and long COVID health risk. Analyzes 5,652,474 COVID-19 cases and 41,694 long COVID cases according to year, location, U.S. region, risk level of county, and social determinants, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zhetao Chen, Bingnan Lib, Yewen Chen, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 56, 101401
Date: 04/2026
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Fourteen of Thirty Selected Indian Health Service and Rural Providers Did Not Comply or May Not Have Complied With Terms and Conditions and Federal Requirements for Expending Provider Relief Fund Payments
Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Rural-Urban Differences in Dental Care Utilization After a Public Health Emergency
Explores COVID-19-specific impacts on dental care access and utilization among rural and urban populations. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban status.
Author(s): Quazi Minhaz Tabassum, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Ahmed A. Arif
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Explores COVID-19-specific impacts on dental care access and utilization among rural and urban populations. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban status.
Author(s): Quazi Minhaz Tabassum, Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Ahmed A. Arif
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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COVID-19 Antiviral Prescription Receipt Among Outpatients Aged ≥65 Years — United States, June 1, 2023–September 30, 2025
Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Clinical and Demographic Characteristics of Participants in a Hepatitis C Treatment Trial in Rural Kentucky: How Policies Around Treatment Access May Impact Elimination Efforts in the United States
Examines characteristics and drug use patterns of the participants in the Kentucky Viral Hepatitis C Treatment (KeY Treat) trial, which focuses on improving access to direct acting antiviral (DAA) drugs to treat the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Discuses Medicaid policy related to DAA treatment of HCV in a rural, Appalachian community in Kentucky.
Author(s): Jennifer R. Havens, Brittney D. Williams, Takako Schaninger, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70128
Date: 02/2026
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Examines characteristics and drug use patterns of the participants in the Kentucky Viral Hepatitis C Treatment (KeY Treat) trial, which focuses on improving access to direct acting antiviral (DAA) drugs to treat the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Discuses Medicaid policy related to DAA treatment of HCV in a rural, Appalachian community in Kentucky.
Author(s): Jennifer R. Havens, Brittney D. Williams, Takako Schaninger, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70128
Date: 02/2026
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Survival of Patients Diagnosed With Cancer During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines survival rates of cancer patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, using 2015-2021 SEER-21 database data. Includes rural-urban breakdowns, among other demographic and clinical data comparisons.
Author(s): Todd Burus, Haluk Damgacioglu, Bin Huang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Oncology
Date: 02/2026
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Examines survival rates of cancer patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, using 2015-2021 SEER-21 database data. Includes rural-urban breakdowns, among other demographic and clinical data comparisons.
Author(s): Todd Burus, Haluk Damgacioglu, Bin Huang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Oncology
Date: 02/2026
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Bridging the Gap: Tackling General and HPV Vaccine Hesitancy in Rural and Low-Vaccination Areas to Improve HPV Vaccine Uptake
Examines HPV vaccine uptake and hesitancy among parents of children aged 9-17 living in rural Virginia. Utilizes survey data from 249 parents and analyzes their perspectives on vaccine hesitancy, safety, efficacy, and more.
Author(s): Shillpa Naavaal, Joseph Boyle, Tegwyn Brickhouse, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 13
Date: 01/2026
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Examines HPV vaccine uptake and hesitancy among parents of children aged 9-17 living in rural Virginia. Utilizes survey data from 249 parents and analyzes their perspectives on vaccine hesitancy, safety, efficacy, and more.
Author(s): Shillpa Naavaal, Joseph Boyle, Tegwyn Brickhouse, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 13
Date: 01/2026
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Mobile Telemedicine for Treating Chronic Hepatitis C among Rural People Who Inject Drugs: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Explores the efficacy of a mobile telemedicine-based intervention for hepatitis C (HCV) infections among rural people who inject drugs. Highlights the outcomes of the intervention in terms of treatment initiation, viral clearance, and reduced equipment sharing. Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, outcomes, and risks and probabilities, among other measures.
Author(s): Peter D. Friedmann, Donna Wilson, David de Gijsel, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(1), e2555125
Date: 01/2026
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Explores the efficacy of a mobile telemedicine-based intervention for hepatitis C (HCV) infections among rural people who inject drugs. Highlights the outcomes of the intervention in terms of treatment initiation, viral clearance, and reduced equipment sharing. Breaks down data by demographic characteristics, outcomes, and risks and probabilities, among other measures.
Author(s): Peter D. Friedmann, Donna Wilson, David de Gijsel, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(1), e2555125
Date: 01/2026
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Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Cases in New Mexico by County, 2026
Map featuring data on the number of individuals affected by Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome by county in New Mexico.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Map featuring data on the number of individuals affected by Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome by county in New Mexico.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Telemedicine Utilization and Preventive Services Among a Rural Population
Compares 2,012,290 rural adults who used telemedicine between January 2019 and December 2023 to identify associations with subsequent preventive service use. Notes the potential impact of study findings on increasing preventive care utilization for rural residents. Discusses the impacts of COVID-19 and other demographic and health status factors on the data.
Author(s): Daniel Cullen, April M. Falconi, Carrie Levin, Geoffrey Crawford, Sarah Adkins Svoboda
Citation: The American Journal of Managed Care, 32(1)
Date: 01/2026
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Compares 2,012,290 rural adults who used telemedicine between January 2019 and December 2023 to identify associations with subsequent preventive service use. Notes the potential impact of study findings on increasing preventive care utilization for rural residents. Discusses the impacts of COVID-19 and other demographic and health status factors on the data.
Author(s): Daniel Cullen, April M. Falconi, Carrie Levin, Geoffrey Crawford, Sarah Adkins Svoboda
Citation: The American Journal of Managed Care, 32(1)
Date: 01/2026
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