Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health and prenatal care
Sustaining Rural Labor & Delivery Programs: Strategies for Financial Analyses and Considerations for Maintaining Services
A guide for Critical Access Hospital and other rural hospital executives to use when assessing the financial viability of their Labor & Delivery programs. Outlines three strategies that may bring a Labor & Delivery program closer to sustainability and prevent unnecessary closure of services in rural areas.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Dahlia McGrath, Jeff Sommer, et al.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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A guide for Critical Access Hospital and other rural hospital executives to use when assessing the financial viability of their Labor & Delivery programs. Outlines three strategies that may bring a Labor & Delivery program closer to sustainability and prevent unnecessary closure of services in rural areas.
Author(s): Eric Shell, Dahlia McGrath, Jeff Sommer, et al.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Oregon Areas of Unmet Health Care Need Report, 2025
Covers nine variables that describe areas of unmet healthcare need in Oregon and measure access to primary care, mental, and oral healthcare services. Areas of unmet need are scored based on variables within the following categories: availability of providers, ability to afford care, and utilization. Includes statistics and county-level information by service areas.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Covers nine variables that describe areas of unmet healthcare need in Oregon and measure access to primary care, mental, and oral healthcare services. Areas of unmet need are scored based on variables within the following categories: availability of providers, ability to afford care, and utilization. Includes statistics and county-level information by service areas.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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Boosting Maternity Care in Rural America
Provides a brief overview of the state of maternal healthcare in rural areas. Highlights state and federal actions taken to improve access to quality maternal care and improve birth outcomes.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Provides a brief overview of the state of maternal healthcare in rural areas. Highlights state and federal actions taken to improve access to quality maternal care and improve birth outcomes.
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Conference of State Legislatures
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Rural Resource: Availability of Obstetric Simulation Training by State
Explores the availability of simulation training and continuing medical education (CME)/distance learning opportunities for both rural hospitals with obstetric units and those without obstetric units. Presents findings of an environmental scan of national, regional, and state-level obstetric training resources. Offers recommendations for ways State Flex Programs and Critical Access Hospitals can use this resource to identify applicable simulation trainings.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Hamdi Abas, Megan Lahr
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Explores the availability of simulation training and continuing medical education (CME)/distance learning opportunities for both rural hospitals with obstetric units and those without obstetric units. Presents findings of an environmental scan of national, regional, and state-level obstetric training resources. Offers recommendations for ways State Flex Programs and Critical Access Hospitals can use this resource to identify applicable simulation trainings.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Hamdi Abas, Megan Lahr
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Pregnancy-Care Intentions and Practice among Family Medicine Physicians: Residents, Obstetric Fellows, and Fellowship Alumni
Examines the intentions of family medicine residents, family medicine obstetrics (FMOB) fellows, and FMOB alumni related to providing pregnancy care in rural areas. Utilizes survey data from 76 respondents and provides data breakdowns on their demographics, practice characteristics, and type of pregnancy care. Discusses issues of pregnancy care access in rural areas and the associated role of FMOB professionals.
Author(s): Robert William Owens, Mimi Dahlin, Emmanuel Adediran, et al.
Citation: Family Practice, 42(5)
Date: 09/2025
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Examines the intentions of family medicine residents, family medicine obstetrics (FMOB) fellows, and FMOB alumni related to providing pregnancy care in rural areas. Utilizes survey data from 76 respondents and provides data breakdowns on their demographics, practice characteristics, and type of pregnancy care. Discusses issues of pregnancy care access in rural areas and the associated role of FMOB professionals.
Author(s): Robert William Owens, Mimi Dahlin, Emmanuel Adediran, et al.
Citation: Family Practice, 42(5)
Date: 09/2025
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The Doctor is … Out: Shortages of Health Professionals in Rural Areas
Reports on healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural New York counties, including rural and county-level data on primary care, dental health, mental health, and maternity care providers. Discusses rural barriers to healthcare access and highlights approaches to strengthen the rural health workforce in New York.
Author(s): Andrea Miller, Maria Doulis, Matthew Golden, Joshua Simons
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the New York State Comptroller
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Reports on healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural New York counties, including rural and county-level data on primary care, dental health, mental health, and maternity care providers. Discusses rural barriers to healthcare access and highlights approaches to strengthen the rural health workforce in New York.
Author(s): Andrea Miller, Maria Doulis, Matthew Golden, Joshua Simons
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of the New York State Comptroller
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Rural/Urban Differences in Health, Health Care Use, and Barriers to Care for Postpartum and Parenting Women, 2006-2018
Presents a study on rural and urban differences in access to and utilization of healthcare for postpartum or parenting women. Highlights barriers women parents face in accessing care and utilizing care that is available. Breaks down data by age of child, barriers to care, rural versus urban location, and compares rates for postpartum and parenting women to all women aged 18-49 by rurality.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Clara E. Busse, Alyssa Fritz, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Presents a study on rural and urban differences in access to and utilization of healthcare for postpartum or parenting women. Highlights barriers women parents face in accessing care and utilizing care that is available. Breaks down data by age of child, barriers to care, rural versus urban location, and compares rates for postpartum and parenting women to all women aged 18-49 by rurality.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Clara E. Busse, Alyssa Fritz, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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2025 Indiana State Rural Health Report
Examines the state of rural health in Indiana and provides data on the health of rural citizens. Focuses on access, healthcare workforce shortages, health insurance, healthcare facilities availability, mobile health, telehealth services, maternal and infant health, mental health, substance use, and rural health finances and funding.
Author(s): Amnah Anwar, Kasia Hamman, Anureet Sandhu, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Rural Health Association
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Examines the state of rural health in Indiana and provides data on the health of rural citizens. Focuses on access, healthcare workforce shortages, health insurance, healthcare facilities availability, mobile health, telehealth services, maternal and infant health, mental health, substance use, and rural health finances and funding.
Author(s): Amnah Anwar, Kasia Hamman, Anureet Sandhu, et al.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana Rural Health Association
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Rural–Urban Differences in Health Care Access for Postpartum Parent and Infant Dyads
Details a study on differences in perinatal health among postpartum parents and infants in rural and urban areas. Bases findings on National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data and breaks down data by demographic characteristics, perceived barriers, and perceived health along rural and urban locations.
Author(s): Sara C. Handley, Julia D. Interrante, Emily F. Gregory, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70062
Date: 08/2025
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Details a study on differences in perinatal health among postpartum parents and infants in rural and urban areas. Bases findings on National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data and breaks down data by demographic characteristics, perceived barriers, and perceived health along rural and urban locations.
Author(s): Sara C. Handley, Julia D. Interrante, Emily F. Gregory, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70062
Date: 08/2025
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Arizona Tribal Maternal and Child Health Needs Assessment
Reports on maternal and child health needs for the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population in Arizona, including health indicator and community survey data on topics such as mental health, education, nutrition, public health communication, and more. Discusses tribal health topics throughout, with additional rural-specific data presented on pages 14-19.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, American Indian Research Center for Health
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Reports on maternal and child health needs for the American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population in Arizona, including health indicator and community survey data on topics such as mental health, education, nutrition, public health communication, and more. Discusses tribal health topics throughout, with additional rural-specific data presented on pages 14-19.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, American Indian Research Center for Health
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