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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Population health

Co-Creating and Disseminating Substance Use and Vaping Educational Videos, Question Prompt Lists, and Other Resources in Partnership with Community Organizations and Youth in Western North Carolina
Describes the development of and evaluates the social media reach of a youth empowerment program addressing substance use in rural North Carolina. Discusses the inclusion of youth in the development process.
Author(s): Betsy Sleath, Abena A. Adjei, Jeremy Lowery, et al.
Citation: PEC Innovation, 7
Date: 12/2025
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Staying Strong on the Job: Physical and Psychosocial Benefits of Exercise for Agricultural Workers
Evaluates the impact of an exercise program among 25 agricultural workers. The program aimed to improve strength to reduce workplace injuries. Discusses both measured and perceived changes in functional capacity.
Author(s): Nicholas Spokely, Diego Diaz-Vega, Lindsey Phillips Abernathy, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 2025
Date: 11/2025
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Urban-Rural Disparities in Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis of Primary Bone Cancer: An Observational Study
Examines associations between rural or urban residence and primary bone cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, utilizing NCI SEER data of patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2019. Provides data on rural-urban differences in overall survival, cancer-specific survival, receipt of treatment methods including local surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, and stage at diagnosis.
Author(s): Chenbo Ouyang, Xuanwen Liu, Chunyu Chen, Changping Chen
Citation: Medicine, 104(43), e45548
Date: 10/2025
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Trends in Pancreatic Cancer Mortality among US Adults, 1999–2023
Analyzes trends in pancreatic cancer mortality by demographic group, utilizing 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, among other factors.
Author(s): Tianxing Wu, Zhongliu Bian, Nan Qin, Jingtao Chen
Citation: BMC Gastroenterology, 25, 768
Date: 10/2025
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Nurse-Directed Coordination of Cancer Survivorship Care in a Tribal Primary Care Clinic
Examines the feasibility of a nurse cancer care coordinator intervention focused on improving cancer care at a tribally-operated primary care clinic in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Provides data on survivorship care plans, cancer-related distress, time spent on coordination activities, and other aspects of program implementation via a trial utilizing data of 23 American Indian intervention participants.
Author(s): Amber S. Anderson-Buettner, Kathleen A. Dwyer, Zsolt J. Nagykaldi, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 334
Date: 10/2025
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Calendar Year (CY) 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule (CMS-1832-F)
Fact sheet providing an overview of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule regarding updates and changes to the Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) and other Medicare Part B issues for calendar year 2026. Summarizes provisions related to telehealth services; improving care for chronic illness and behavioral health needs; Rural Health Clinic (RHC) and Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) care coordination services, services requiring direct supervision, and telecommunication services; and more.
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Greater Physician Supply Associated with Lower Mortality in Rural Counties: A 23-Year County-Level Longitudinal Observational Study
Examines the relationship between increasing the primary care physician supply in rural areas and corresponding mortality rates. Provides data from a study conducted between 1992-2014 and analyzes rural versus urban trends in mortality rates and physician supply. Discusses rural healthcare practitioner workforce needs, rural versus urban healthcare disparities, and access to care.
Author(s): Nasim B. Ferdows, Cyrus Kosar, Orestis Panagiotou, Momotazur Rahman
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 10/2025
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National Outcomes of Increasing Cervical Cancer Screening in Federally Qualified Health Centers
Analyzes the population served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in 2023 to determine the number of adults underscreened for cervical cancer and how improving screenings in FQHCs would impact meeting a Healthy People 2030 goal. Includes rural and urban comparisons in addition to other sociodemographic factors.
Author(s): Trisha L. Amboree, Prajakta Adsul, Haluk Damgacioglu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(10)
Date: 10/2025
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"Gives Us Peace of Mind for Keeping Our Hands Clean": Targeted Handwashing Intervention Increases Water Use and Hand Hygiene in Rural Alaska
Highlights a study on the hygiene outcomes of an intervention that installed Miniature Portable Alternative Sanitation System (Mini-PASS) handwashing stations in 14 rural Alaska Native communities. Details the lack of in-home water service in rural Alaska and the related health consequences. Evaluates the Mini-PASS intervention's outcomes in terms of handwashing station utilization and household water use.
Author(s): Amanda Hansen, Gretchen Day, Marla Wehrli, Laura Eichelberger
Citation: International Journal of Circumpolar Health, 84(1), 2569761
Date: 10/2025
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Disparities in Geographic Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation among Socially Vulnerable Communities
Examines geographic and social disparities regarding access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) care. Analyzes the relationship between CR access and social vulnerability, focusing on county CR availability, population size, distance to CR services, percentage without health insurance, and more. Includes metro versus rural county comparisons and discusses the role of rurality in CR access.
Author(s): Edward W. Chen, Wen‐Chih Wu, Ling Han, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Heart Association,14, 20
Date: 10/2025
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