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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Population health

Well-Being Interventions for Rural Health Professionals: A Scoping Review
Explores the literature on rural healthcare workforce interventions aimed at addressing burnout. Highlights selection criteria and compares interventions and outcomes. Aims to identify the potential efficacy of the interventions studied.
Author(s): Skye McKennon, Suzanne Fricke, Dawn DeWitt
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12909
Date: 01/2025
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What Cancers Explain the Growing Rural-Urban Gap in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cancer Incidence?
Presents a study comparing rates of Human-Papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers in rural and urban populations. Breaks down data by sex and rurality and tracks rates in 5 year increments from 2000 to 2019.
Author(s): Jason Semprini, Whitney Zahnd, Heather M. Brandt
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12915
Date: 01/2025
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A Comparison of Rural and Urban Differences in Geographic Proximity to Outpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Services in Tennessee
Examines distance and travel time disparities for outpatient stroke rehabilitation (OSR) services in rural and urban areas of Tennessee. Analyzes 185 facilities for OSR and provides rural versus urban median travel distance and time according to OSR service type. Includes county-level maps showing mean travel distance by kilometers.
Author(s): Phoebe M. Tran, Benjamin Fogelson, Robert E. Heidel, Raj Baljepally
Citation: Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention 45(1), 65-71
Date: 01/2025
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Health Differences Between Rural and Non-Rural Texas Counties Based on 2023 County Health Rankings
Examines rural versus nonrural counties in Texas by health outcomes and factors. Utilizes 2023 County Health Rankings data to explore county-level health disparities and includes maps showing health insurance, poverty, length and quality of life, socioeconomic factors, physical environment, health behavior, and clinical care ratings by county.
Author(s): Elizabeth Ekren, Shadi Maleki, Cristian Curran, Cassidy Watkins, Melinda M. Villagran
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 2
Date: 01/2025
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Sexualized Drug Use Factors Among Rural Sexual Minority Men
Presents a study identifying factors that correspond to sexualized drug use, or substance use immediately before or during sex, for rural sexual minority men. Highlights risk factors of sexualized drug use, such as HIV infection, and details corresponding demographic and behavioral characteristics.
Author(s): Christopher Owens, Benjamin N. Montemayor
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12917
Date: 2025
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Addressing Workforce Challenges Across the Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summary of presentations and discussions from a July 2024 public workshop to address workforce needs and challenges related to behavioral healthcare. Includes discussions of telepsychiatry collaborative care to improve rural access and capacity, and recruiting and retaining Native American healthcare providers in behavioral health settings.
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Drive Time to Care and Retention in HIV Care: Rural–Urban Differences Among Medicaid Enrollees in the United States South
Presents a study on the role geography plays in HIV care retention and maintenance. Draws data from Medicaid enrollees in 13 southern states including the District of Columbia and compares patient drive times to care in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by county social determinants of health, healthcare supply, and HIV prevalence, as well as patient characteristics.
Author(s): April D. Kimmel, Rose S. Bono, Zhongzhe Pan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12877
Date: 2025
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Home Health Utilization in the Veterans Health Administration: Are there Rural and Urban Differences?
Examines home health usage and access among veterans in rural and urban areas. Utilizes 2019-2021 Veterans Health Administration (VA) data to analyze rural versus urban home health use, with data broken down by patient sociodemographic variables as well as number of visits.
Author(s): Heather Davila, Bradely Mayfield, Michelle A. Mengeling, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12865
Date: 2025
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The Uneven Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Rural and Urban Black, Latino/a, and White Mortality
Examines mortality rates and the corresponding impact of Medicaid expansion on Black, Latino/a, and White populations, broken down by rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2009-2019 data of Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) estimates to provide statistical breakdowns and graphic representation of how Medicaid expansion has impacted mortality rates for varying populations.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Regina S. Baker, Matthew M. Brooks
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12859
Date: 2025
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Associations Between COVID-19 Therapies and Outcomes in Rural and Urban America: A Multisite, Temporal Analysis from the Alpha to Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Examines COVID-19 treatment, health outcomes, and mortality disparities in rural and urban areas of the United States. Analyzes 2021-2023 National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 3,018,646 patients to break down COVID-19 disparities according to patient demographics, vaccine status, comorbidities, U.S. Census region, and adverse inpatient events, as well as urban, urban-adjacent, or nonurban-adjacent location.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, William H. Beasley, Kimberly Murray, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12857
Date: 2025
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