Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Use, Facility Mammography Volume, and Timely Follow-Up After Abnormal Screening Mammograms in Appalachia, United States
Explores the effect of facility-level characteristics, such as rural versus urban location, and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) use on post-screening follow-up times in rural versus urban areas in Appalachia. Breaks down data by facility volume and individual patient characteristics that are associated with follow-up delay.
Author(s): Silas Selorm Daniels-Donkor, Fabian T. Camacho, Gloribel Bonilla, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70229
Date: 10/2026
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Explores the effect of facility-level characteristics, such as rural versus urban location, and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) use on post-screening follow-up times in rural versus urban areas in Appalachia. Breaks down data by facility volume and individual patient characteristics that are associated with follow-up delay.
Author(s): Silas Selorm Daniels-Donkor, Fabian T. Camacho, Gloribel Bonilla, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70229
Date: 10/2026
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Passenger Vehicles
National data on traffic crashes involving passenger vehicles. Features statistics from 2020-2024 with breakdowns by vehicle type, time of day, fatalities, state, and rural or urban locations.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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National data on traffic crashes involving passenger vehicles. Features statistics from 2020-2024 with breakdowns by vehicle type, time of day, fatalities, state, and rural or urban locations.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Rural Patients' Transitional Care Experiences: A Qualitative Analysis of Provider Notes
Examines experiences of older, veteran patients discharged from a hospital to their home. Utilizes electronic health record clinical notes and Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse data from 200 veterans who died within 30 days of discharge. Analyzes rural versus urban differences in patient demographics, patient health conditions, geographic distance to care settings, willingness to utilize home health services, caregiver burden, and more. Discusses unique challenges experienced by rural veterans and their caregivers in transitional care.
Author(s): Samantha B. Randolph, Nicholas A. Rattray, Claire E. Donnelly, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70225
Date: 10/2026
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Examines experiences of older, veteran patients discharged from a hospital to their home. Utilizes electronic health record clinical notes and Veterans Affairs (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse data from 200 veterans who died within 30 days of discharge. Analyzes rural versus urban differences in patient demographics, patient health conditions, geographic distance to care settings, willingness to utilize home health services, caregiver burden, and more. Discusses unique challenges experienced by rural veterans and their caregivers in transitional care.
Author(s): Samantha B. Randolph, Nicholas A. Rattray, Claire E. Donnelly, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70225
Date: 10/2026
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Older Population
National data on traffic crashes involving drivers age 65 and older. Features statistics from 2015-2024 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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National data on traffic crashes involving drivers age 65 and older. Features statistics from 2015-2024 with breakdowns by sex, age group, blood alcohol concentrations, state, and rural or urban location.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Contributing Factors to Rural Energy Use, Costs, and Affordability in the Early 2020s
Examines disparities in energy efficiency and costs in rural and urban households. Utilizes data from the U.S. Department of Energy's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey to analyze rural versus urban differences in energy use and burden, energy efficiency, extreme weather, housing quality, and energy insecurity according to household types, such as low-income, homes with children, mobile homes, and rentals. Discusses financial and health impacts of poor energy performance in rural areas.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Hannah Kamen, Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines disparities in energy efficiency and costs in rural and urban households. Utilizes data from the U.S. Department of Energy's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey to analyze rural versus urban differences in energy use and burden, energy efficiency, extreme weather, housing quality, and energy insecurity according to household types, such as low-income, homes with children, mobile homes, and rentals. Discusses financial and health impacts of poor energy performance in rural areas.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff, Hannah Kamen, Richelle L. Winkler
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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South Dakota Department of Health - Maternal and Infant Health Task Force Strategic Plan
Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
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Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
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America's Health Rankings 2026 Health of Women and Children Report
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Rural and Urban Health Center Patients and Financing
Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Cancer Risk Factors, Screening, and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation Across the U.S. Urban-to-Frontier Continuum
Presents a study on geographic variation in cancer risk behaviors and screening across the metropolitan-to-frontier continuum. Identifies demographic characteristics and cancer-related behaviors and screening access in rural, urban, and frontier areas. Explores rates of alcohol use, tobacco use, and physical activity, among other factors, by geography.
Author(s): Brody Gibson, Laurie Grieshober, Rachel M Ceballos, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs, lgag021
Date: 10/2026
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Presents a study on geographic variation in cancer risk behaviors and screening across the metropolitan-to-frontier continuum. Identifies demographic characteristics and cancer-related behaviors and screening access in rural, urban, and frontier areas. Explores rates of alcohol use, tobacco use, and physical activity, among other factors, by geography.
Author(s): Brody Gibson, Laurie Grieshober, Rachel M Ceballos, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs, lgag021
Date: 10/2026
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Medical Debt and Advanced Cancer Stage at Diagnosis
Explores how medical debt burden is associated with incidence of 9 common cancers at the county level, using 2017-2021 data from multiple national datasets. Includes comparisons of medical debt prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Jiazhang Xing, Xuesong Han, Xin Hu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2637508
Date: 10/2026
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Explores how medical debt burden is associated with incidence of 9 common cancers at the county level, using 2017-2021 data from multiple national datasets. Includes comparisons of medical debt prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Jiazhang Xing, Xuesong Han, Xin Hu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2637508
Date: 10/2026
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