Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Nicotine and Tobacco Product Use among US Youth in 10th and 12th Grade, 2023–2025: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
Examines trends in youth nicotine, tobacco, and multi-product co-use. Utilizes 2023-2025 survey data from 10th and 12th graders and analyzes lifetime use and past 30-day use of various nicotine and tobacco products according to grade, demographics, parent education, and school location of urban, suburban/town, or rural.
Author(s): Dayoung Bae, Junhan Cho, Alyssa F. Harlow, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 65, 101673
Date: 01/2027
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Examines trends in youth nicotine, tobacco, and multi-product co-use. Utilizes 2023-2025 survey data from 10th and 12th graders and analyzes lifetime use and past 30-day use of various nicotine and tobacco products according to grade, demographics, parent education, and school location of urban, suburban/town, or rural.
Author(s): Dayoung Bae, Junhan Cho, Alyssa F. Harlow, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 65, 101673
Date: 01/2027
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How Do Services Offered Within Opioid Treatment Programs Vary Based on State Methadone Policies?
Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
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Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
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Hospice Visit Patterns Across Patient Demographic and Clinical Characteristics
Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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Rural Households Use Several Kinds of Fuels for Heating Their Homes
Chart providing data on the primary heating fuel (natural gas, electric, fuel oil, propane, or wood) used by rural and urban households in 2020, using U.S. Department of Energy Residential Energy Consumption Survey data.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Chart providing data on the primary heating fuel (natural gas, electric, fuel oil, propane, or wood) used by rural and urban households in 2020, using U.S. Department of Energy Residential Energy Consumption Survey data.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Women's Health in Pennsylvania
Provides information on demographic makeup of Pennsylvania women as of 2025. Includes statistics on number of births in Pennsylvania from 1990-2025 and number of breast cancer diagnoses in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas. Also features a county-level map with fertility rates from 2021-2025.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Provides information on demographic makeup of Pennsylvania women as of 2025. Includes statistics on number of births in Pennsylvania from 1990-2025 and number of breast cancer diagnoses in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas. Also features a county-level map with fertility rates from 2021-2025.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Characteristics of Women Ages 40–60 with Menopausal Symptoms: United States, 2025
Offers data on women between 40 and 60 experiencing menopausal symptoms including demographics, educational attainment, treatment, and 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Anjel Vahratian, Janine A. Clayton
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Offers data on women between 40 and 60 experiencing menopausal symptoms including demographics, educational attainment, treatment, and 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Anjel Vahratian, Janine A. Clayton
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Geographic Disparities and Temporal Trends in Aggressive Prostate Cancer: A SEER Population-Based Analysis (2004–2022)
Analyzes how the incidence of all prostate cancer and aggressive or metastatic prostate cancer varies by Appalachian or non-Appalachian area, rural or urban dwelling, and race and ethnicity, using 2004-2022 SEER data of 951,965 cases of prostate cancer among men aged 40 years and older.
Author(s): Yifei Xu, Ayush Singh, Eric Li, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37, 181
Date: 10/2026
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Analyzes how the incidence of all prostate cancer and aggressive or metastatic prostate cancer varies by Appalachian or non-Appalachian area, rural or urban dwelling, and race and ethnicity, using 2004-2022 SEER data of 951,965 cases of prostate cancer among men aged 40 years and older.
Author(s): Yifei Xu, Ayush Singh, Eric Li, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37, 181
Date: 10/2026
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Clinician Discussion of Family Cancer Risk and Use of Genetic Testing Among US Adults With a Family History of Cancer
Examines clinician-patient discussion of family cancer risks and use of genetic testing among U.S. adults with a family history of cancer. Utilizes 2023 National Health Interview Survey data from 9,476 respondents to explore clinician discussion of cancer risk, with breakdowns according to demographics, access to care, rural residence, and receipt of genetic testing.
Author(s): Abe E. Sahmoun
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 10/2026
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Examines clinician-patient discussion of family cancer risks and use of genetic testing among U.S. adults with a family history of cancer. Utilizes 2023 National Health Interview Survey data from 9,476 respondents to explore clinician discussion of cancer risk, with breakdowns according to demographics, access to care, rural residence, and receipt of genetic testing.
Author(s): Abe E. Sahmoun
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 10/2026
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Treatable Mortality in Illinois Counties, "Them That Has, Gets"
Examines preventable mortality in Illinois caused by diseases that could have been treated by available medical care. Utilizes CDC Wonder data from 2018 and 2024 and provides county-level, as well as metro versus nonmetro, mortality rates and causes of death.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines preventable mortality in Illinois caused by diseases that could have been treated by available medical care. Utilizes CDC Wonder data from 2018 and 2024 and provides county-level, as well as metro versus nonmetro, mortality rates and causes of death.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Chronic Conditions in Residential Care Communities: United States, 2025
Reports on the prevalence of chronic disease among patients in residential care communities using 2025 National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Study data. See Figure 2 for a metro-nonmetro comparison of residential care communities reporting patients with all four chronic conditions (Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, diabetes, depression, heart disease).
Author(s): Christine Caffrey, Manisha Sengupta, Jessica P. Lendon, Shannon Kindilien, Amanuel Melekin
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Reports on the prevalence of chronic disease among patients in residential care communities using 2025 National Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Study data. See Figure 2 for a metro-nonmetro comparison of residential care communities reporting patients with all four chronic conditions (Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, diabetes, depression, heart disease).
Author(s): Christine Caffrey, Manisha Sengupta, Jessica P. Lendon, Shannon Kindilien, Amanuel Melekin
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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