Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Population health
The Need for Medicare Dental Coverage
Details the oral health risks of limited dental coverage by Medicare. Discusses aging-related oral healthcare conditions, the economic barriers to care caused by lack of coverage, and how rurality can affect preexisting oral health disparities.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Details the oral health risks of limited dental coverage by Medicare. Discusses aging-related oral healthcare conditions, the economic barriers to care caused by lack of coverage, and how rurality can affect preexisting oral health disparities.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Evaluating the Impact of Altitudinal Variations on COVID-19 Mortality Rates: A Comprehensive Analysis
Examines the effects of high altitude on county-level COVID-19 mortality, fatality rates, and vaccination outcomes, utilizing January 2020-August 2022 New York Times COVID-19 repository and American Community Survey data. Includes data on fatality by level of rurality in the pre- and post-vaccination periods.
Author(s): Emre Karsli, Damla Anbarli Metin, Arda Kocatas, et al.
Citation: BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 25, 413
Date: 08/2025
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Examines the effects of high altitude on county-level COVID-19 mortality, fatality rates, and vaccination outcomes, utilizing January 2020-August 2022 New York Times COVID-19 repository and American Community Survey data. Includes data on fatality by level of rurality in the pre- and post-vaccination periods.
Author(s): Emre Karsli, Damla Anbarli Metin, Arda Kocatas, et al.
Citation: BMC Pulmonary Medicine, 25, 413
Date: 08/2025
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Rural Community-Based Interventions to Improve the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People: A Rapid Scoping Review of the Quantitative and Qualitative Evidence
Literature review examining 12 studies on community-based interventions to improve mental health and wellbeing among people 25 years of age and younger in rural and remote areas of the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Analyzes intervention characteristics and outcomes, barriers and facilitators of program delivery, and other aspects of rural intervention policy and practice.
Author(s): Emily McDougal, Ayesha Sheikh, Ediane Santana de Lima, et al.
Citation: Journal of Community Psychology, 53(7), e70037
Date: 08/2025
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Literature review examining 12 studies on community-based interventions to improve mental health and wellbeing among people 25 years of age and younger in rural and remote areas of the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Analyzes intervention characteristics and outcomes, barriers and facilitators of program delivery, and other aspects of rural intervention policy and practice.
Author(s): Emily McDougal, Ayesha Sheikh, Ediane Santana de Lima, et al.
Citation: Journal of Community Psychology, 53(7), e70037
Date: 08/2025
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Opportunities for Employers to Address the Opioid Epidemic: Results from a National Survey
Surveys 1,010 employees to learn their perspective on the Recovery-Ready Workplace (RRW) framework, a federally created opioid intervention for employers. Evaluates the implementation of the 4 areas addressed by RRW, noting areas for improvement related to Narcan access, stigma, and work arrangements that accommodate treatment.
Author(s): Gillian K. SteelFisher, Brian C. Castrucci, Mary G. Findling, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(8)
Date: 08/2025
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Surveys 1,010 employees to learn their perspective on the Recovery-Ready Workplace (RRW) framework, a federally created opioid intervention for employers. Evaluates the implementation of the 4 areas addressed by RRW, noting areas for improvement related to Narcan access, stigma, and work arrangements that accommodate treatment.
Author(s): Gillian K. SteelFisher, Brian C. Castrucci, Mary G. Findling, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 3(8)
Date: 08/2025
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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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Six Strategies for Engaging Rural Communities in Teen Pregnancy Prevention Research and Programming
Tip sheet on communication strategies related to teen pregnancy and STI prevention for rural health researchers and practitioners. Highlights the value of humility, flexibility, and reciprocity in health communication and discusses examples and best practices from the Mousehouse Family Health Study sexual health intervention in Georgia.
Author(s): Asari Offiong, André Marria, Alyssa Scott, Elizabeth Cook, Jennifer Manlove
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
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Tip sheet on communication strategies related to teen pregnancy and STI prevention for rural health researchers and practitioners. Highlights the value of humility, flexibility, and reciprocity in health communication and discusses examples and best practices from the Mousehouse Family Health Study sexual health intervention in Georgia.
Author(s): Asari Offiong, André Marria, Alyssa Scott, Elizabeth Cook, Jennifer Manlove
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
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Geographic Disparities by Rural-Urban Status and Drive Time to Care in Tobacco Treatment for COPD
Explores the potential relationship between the drive-time to tobacco dependence treatment (TDT) services and the development of COPD among smokers. Details distances of rural smokers to TDT services. Draws from Veterans Affairs data and breaks down data by demographic characteristics, treatment type, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Arianne K. Baldomero, Anne C. Melzer, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(8), e2528898
Date: 08/2025
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Explores the potential relationship between the drive-time to tobacco dependence treatment (TDT) services and the development of COPD among smokers. Details distances of rural smokers to TDT services. Draws from Veterans Affairs data and breaks down data by demographic characteristics, treatment type, and rural versus urban location, among other measures.
Author(s): Arianne K. Baldomero, Anne C. Melzer, Ken M. Kunisaki, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(8), e2528898
Date: 08/2025
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Tobacco Product Use or Nicotine Vaping in the Past Month
Report discusses rates of tobacco and nicotine vaping use detailed in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2022, 2023, and 2024. Features breakdowns by demographics, years and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report discusses rates of tobacco and nicotine vaping use detailed in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2022, 2023, and 2024. Features breakdowns by demographics, years and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Hoosier Sport Re-Social: A Protocol for Developing a Biopsychosocial Body Satisfaction Intervention in Rural Indiana
Provides a study protocol for an intervention aimed at improving body satisfaction, healthy social media use, and positive exercise behaviors in adolescent girls living in rural Indiana. Discusses plans to examine adolescent self-esteem and physical activity levels, create a community co-design intervention, and conduct a mixed-methods pilot study within physical and health education classes.
Author(s): Janette M. Watkins, Janelle M. Goss, Vanessa M. Martinez Kercher, et al.
Citation: Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 11, 113
Date: 08/2025
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Provides a study protocol for an intervention aimed at improving body satisfaction, healthy social media use, and positive exercise behaviors in adolescent girls living in rural Indiana. Discusses plans to examine adolescent self-esteem and physical activity levels, create a community co-design intervention, and conduct a mixed-methods pilot study within physical and health education classes.
Author(s): Janette M. Watkins, Janelle M. Goss, Vanessa M. Martinez Kercher, et al.
Citation: Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 11, 113
Date: 08/2025
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Understanding and Predicting Flossing Behavior in a Rural Appalachian Community Using the Multi-Theory Model
Presents a study on the initiation and sustenance of flossing among people in rural Appalachia. Explores the factors that lead to regular daily flossing and makes recommendations for interventions aimed at making similar behavioral changes.
Author(s): Rahib K. Islam, Manoj Sharma, Amanda H. Wilkerson, et al.
Citation: Nature: Scientific Reports, 15, 30741
Date: 08/2025
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Presents a study on the initiation and sustenance of flossing among people in rural Appalachia. Explores the factors that lead to regular daily flossing and makes recommendations for interventions aimed at making similar behavioral changes.
Author(s): Rahib K. Islam, Manoj Sharma, Amanda H. Wilkerson, et al.
Citation: Nature: Scientific Reports, 15, 30741
Date: 08/2025
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