Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — National Immunization Survey-Teen, United States, 2025
Reports on vaccination coverage among U.S. adolescents for ages 13 through 17. Includes nonmetro data on vaccination for the following vaccines: Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis), MenACWY (quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate), and HPV (human papillomavirus). Discusses potential reasons for differences in vaccination coverage for metro versus nonmetro locations.
Author(s): Cassandra Pingali, David Yankey, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(34), 530-538
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on vaccination coverage among U.S. adolescents for ages 13 through 17. Includes nonmetro data on vaccination for the following vaccines: Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis), MenACWY (quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate), and HPV (human papillomavirus). Discusses potential reasons for differences in vaccination coverage for metro versus nonmetro locations.
Author(s): Cassandra Pingali, David Yankey, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(34), 530-538
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Report on Suicide and Suicide Prevention in Texas: 2026 Update
Reports on suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, suicide mortality, and suicide prevention in Texas, including regional data and color-coded county maps. See pages 37-39 for suicide mortality data by level of rurality.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Texas Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council
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Reports on suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, suicide mortality, and suicide prevention in Texas, including regional data and color-coded county maps. See pages 37-39 for suicide mortality data by level of rurality.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Texas Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council
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Migration and Aging Across the Rural-Urban Continuum
Examines migration and aging patterns from 1980 to 2020 across the rural-urban continuum. Covers age-specific net migration by decade, retirement-age and working adult migration, aging in place, and the relationship between housing, income, employment, and health on migration. Provides charts, graphs, and county-level U.S. maps depicting migration patterns.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Richelle L. Winkler, John Cromartie, Katherine J. Curtis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines migration and aging patterns from 1980 to 2020 across the rural-urban continuum. Covers age-specific net migration by decade, retirement-age and working adult migration, aging in place, and the relationship between housing, income, employment, and health on migration. Provides charts, graphs, and county-level U.S. maps depicting migration patterns.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Richelle L. Winkler, John Cromartie, Katherine J. Curtis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Annual Overview of Hospital-Level Changes in Obstetric Services Availability, 2010-2024
First annual report describing changes to the availability of obstetric services at short-term acute care hospitals. Examines the number of hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services between 2010 and 2024. Presents data on urban and rural hospitals by state and nationally.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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First annual report describing changes to the availability of obstetric services at short-term acute care hospitals. Examines the number of hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services between 2010 and 2024. Presents data on urban and rural hospitals by state and nationally.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Disparities in Timely Access to Postoperative Home Health Care and Functional Recovery After Joint Replacement by Rurality and Dual Eligibility
Results of a study examining the association of Medicare and Medicaid dual-eligible status and rural residence with prompt initiation of home health services and subsequent functional recovery, following hip and knee replacement among patients age 65 or older. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Amit Kumar, Jason Falvey, Deepak Adhikari, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 27(9), 106397
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study examining the association of Medicare and Medicaid dual-eligible status and rural residence with prompt initiation of home health services and subsequent functional recovery, following hip and knee replacement among patients age 65 or older. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Amit Kumar, Jason Falvey, Deepak Adhikari, et al.
Citation: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 27(9), 106397
Date: 09/2026
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The Association Between School Physical Education Practices and School Level Socioeconomic Status
Examines the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and school physical education (PE) practices. Utilizes School Health Map and National Center for Education Statistics data to analyze high-SES, moderate-SES, and low-SES schools according to PE practices as well as location of city, suburb, town, or rural.
Author(s): Sam Biver, Ben D. Kern, Hans van der Mars, Enbal Shacham
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(9), e70217
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and school physical education (PE) practices. Utilizes School Health Map and National Center for Education Statistics data to analyze high-SES, moderate-SES, and low-SES schools according to PE practices as well as location of city, suburb, town, or rural.
Author(s): Sam Biver, Ben D. Kern, Hans van der Mars, Enbal Shacham
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(9), e70217
Date: 09/2026
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Urban-Rural and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Modes of Preconception Cannabis Use among Insured Patients Receiving Prenatal Care at an Integrated Healthcare System in Northern California from 2020 to 2023
Analyzes joint interactions in race and ethnicity and level of rurality on cannabis use and mode of use during preconception, using Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) data of 191,469 pregnancies taking place between February 2020 and September 2023.
Author(s): Qiana L. Brown, Catherine A. Cortez, Joshua R. Nugent, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 286, 113281
Date: 09/2026
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Analyzes joint interactions in race and ethnicity and level of rurality on cannabis use and mode of use during preconception, using Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) data of 191,469 pregnancies taking place between February 2020 and September 2023.
Author(s): Qiana L. Brown, Catherine A. Cortez, Joshua R. Nugent, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 286, 113281
Date: 09/2026
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Trends in Rural and Urban Family Physician Teaching of Health Professions Students and Residents
Compares the amount of early career family physicians offering clinical instruction to health professions students in rural and urban areas. Analyzes the types of students being taught, such as premedical, medical, residents, or fellows, among others, as well as practice characteristics of the settings where physicians were engaged in teaching.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lars E. Peterson, Davis G. Patterson, David V. Evans, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(8), 555-563
Date: 09/2026
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Compares the amount of early career family physicians offering clinical instruction to health professions students in rural and urban areas. Analyzes the types of students being taught, such as premedical, medical, residents, or fellows, among others, as well as practice characteristics of the settings where physicians were engaged in teaching.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Lars E. Peterson, Davis G. Patterson, David V. Evans, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Family Medicine, 58(8), 555-563
Date: 09/2026
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Disparities in Rural–Urban Cancer Care Outcomes Among Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Populations: A Comprehensive Narrative Review
Literature review examining research on rural-urban disparities in cancer outcomes and access to care among children aged 0-18 and adolescents and young adults aged 15-39 years. Covers topics including distance to care, cancer incidence, social determinants of health, access to specialized oncology services, mortality, financial toxicity, supportive and survivorship care, and clinical trial access.
Author(s): Olivia C. Burke, Wencesley A. Paez
Citation: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Date: 09/2026
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Literature review examining research on rural-urban disparities in cancer outcomes and access to care among children aged 0-18 and adolescents and young adults aged 15-39 years. Covers topics including distance to care, cancer incidence, social determinants of health, access to specialized oncology services, mortality, financial toxicity, supportive and survivorship care, and clinical trial access.
Author(s): Olivia C. Burke, Wencesley A. Paez
Citation: Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention
Date: 09/2026
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Rural Health Disadvantages in the United States: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data
Describes rural and urban mortality rate disparities since the 1990s and then examines National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999, 2000, 2017, and 2020 to identify both individual and place-based factors associated with health outcomes within large metropolitan, small/medium metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan areas. Discusses disparities in the working adult population and how county characteristics contribute to rural and urban gaps.
Author(s): Brandon Restrepo, Elizabeth A. Dobis, Sarah A. Low, Kelsey L. Thomas
Citation: Economics & Human Biology, 62
Date: 09/2026
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Describes rural and urban mortality rate disparities since the 1990s and then examines National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999, 2000, 2017, and 2020 to identify both individual and place-based factors associated with health outcomes within large metropolitan, small/medium metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan areas. Discusses disparities in the working adult population and how county characteristics contribute to rural and urban gaps.
Author(s): Brandon Restrepo, Elizabeth A. Dobis, Sarah A. Low, Kelsey L. Thomas
Citation: Economics & Human Biology, 62
Date: 09/2026
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