Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Associations of County-Level Urbanicity With Overall Survival Across 19 Solid Tumor Groups, 2004–2023: A SEER Cohort Study of 5.5 Million Patients
Analyzes how cancer survival varies by rurality at diagnosis across 19 tumor groups, including prostate, lung, kidney, and other cancers, using 2004-2023 SEER data.
Author(s): Lihui Liang, Jiancheng Huang, Qingbai Jiang
Citation: Cancer Control, 33
Date: 09/2026
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Analyzes how cancer survival varies by rurality at diagnosis across 19 tumor groups, including prostate, lung, kidney, and other cancers, using 2004-2023 SEER data.
Author(s): Lihui Liang, Jiancheng Huang, Qingbai Jiang
Citation: Cancer Control, 33
Date: 09/2026
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Examining the Rural College Labor Market
Examines the rural college labor market, enrollment and degree completion, location decisions of students, and shifts in degree types to meet the needs of changing rural industries. Utilizes American Community Survey data to analyze the nonmetro workforce, college labor trends, demographic characteristics, and industry changes, including trends related to healthcare profession degree completion and subsequent employment.
Author(s): Brandon Genetin, James C. Davis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines the rural college labor market, enrollment and degree completion, location decisions of students, and shifts in degree types to meet the needs of changing rural industries. Utilizes American Community Survey data to analyze the nonmetro workforce, college labor trends, demographic characteristics, and industry changes, including trends related to healthcare profession degree completion and subsequent employment.
Author(s): Brandon Genetin, James C. Davis
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Mental Health Care Access in Rural Communities amid the Expansion of Telehealth
Analyzes National Health Interview Survey and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data to explore how mental healthcare access has changed for rural and urban residents as telehealth services have expanded. Discusses findings regarding publicly insured, privately insured, and self-pay patients.
Author(s): Anja Gruber, Anders Van Sandt, Scott Loveridge, Craig Carpenter, Cris Meier
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(9)
Date: 09/2026
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Analyzes National Health Interview Survey and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data to explore how mental healthcare access has changed for rural and urban residents as telehealth services have expanded. Discusses findings regarding publicly insured, privately insured, and self-pay patients.
Author(s): Anja Gruber, Anders Van Sandt, Scott Loveridge, Craig Carpenter, Cris Meier
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(9)
Date: 09/2026
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Community Relationships and Physician Retention in Clinician Shortage Areas
Results of a study examining the connections of community needs fulfillment and community integration with anticipated retention of physicians in rural Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and urban HPSAs. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by type of practice, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Look-Alike Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and hospital-based sites.
Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, David F. Schmitz, Thomas R. Konrad, Thomas E. Rauner, Mike Shimmens
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635692
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study examining the connections of community needs fulfillment and community integration with anticipated retention of physicians in rural Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) and urban HPSAs. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by type of practice, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Look-Alike Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, and hospital-based sites.
Author(s): Donald E. Pathman, David F. Schmitz, Thomas R. Konrad, Thomas E. Rauner, Mike Shimmens
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635692
Date: 09/2026
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Veterans Health Care: Information on Eligibility for and Use of Dental Benefits
Provides an overview of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) dental benefits and eligibility. Describes the number and percentage of VHA-enrolled veterans who were eligible for VA dental benefits between 2020 and 2025. Presents data by demographic characteristics, including age and rural residence. Explores the potential effect of expanding eligibility for VA dental benefits to all veterans with a heart disease diagnosis. Appendix I discusses VHA's use of teledentistry between 2020 and 2025, including the number and percentage of VHA facilities, by facility type and rurality, that provided at least one dental visit by teledentistry.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Provides an overview of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) dental benefits and eligibility. Describes the number and percentage of VHA-enrolled veterans who were eligible for VA dental benefits between 2020 and 2025. Presents data by demographic characteristics, including age and rural residence. Explores the potential effect of expanding eligibility for VA dental benefits to all veterans with a heart disease diagnosis. Appendix I discusses VHA's use of teledentistry between 2020 and 2025, including the number and percentage of VHA facilities, by facility type and rurality, that provided at least one dental visit by teledentistry.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Geographic Disparities in Access to Broadband, Ambulance Services, and Health Care and Implications for Telehealth
Explores the degree to which populated areas, including rural areas, lack the sufficient broadband infrastructure needed to support telehealth services, referred to as broadband deserts. Presents data on the number and percentage of rural residents who live in broadband deserts. Describes the intersection of broadband deserts with areas with limited access to prehospital ambulance services (ambulance deserts) and hospitals and clinics (healthcare deserts) by state.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Heidi O'Connor, Thomas E. Griffin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263290
Date: 09/2026
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Explores the degree to which populated areas, including rural areas, lack the sufficient broadband infrastructure needed to support telehealth services, referred to as broadband deserts. Presents data on the number and percentage of rural residents who live in broadband deserts. Describes the intersection of broadband deserts with areas with limited access to prehospital ambulance services (ambulance deserts) and hospitals and clinics (healthcare deserts) by state.
Author(s): Celia Jewell, Heidi O'Connor, Thomas E. Griffin, et al.
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263290
Date: 09/2026
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Rural–Urban and Appalachian Disparities in Geographic Access to Colonoscopy and Screening Prevalence Across the Contiguous US
Results of a study comparing access to colonoscopy providers. Features statistics on diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and screening procedures, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and Appalachian and non-Appalachian areas and by type of colonoscopy provider.
Author(s): Sima Namin, R. Eric Heidel, Martin Whiteside, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study comparing access to colonoscopy providers. Features statistics on diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and screening procedures, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and Appalachian and non-Appalachian areas and by type of colonoscopy provider.
Author(s): Sima Namin, R. Eric Heidel, Martin Whiteside, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, July-December 2025
Provides data on households that rely on wireless telephones rather than landlines. Includes data on the percent of adults who live in wireless-only households and have their own wireless telephone, as well as data on phoneless adults. Provides data for nonmetropolitan compared to metropolitan areas.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provides data on households that rely on wireless telephones rather than landlines. Includes data on the percent of adults who live in wireless-only households and have their own wireless telephone, as well as data on phoneless adults. Provides data for nonmetropolitan compared to metropolitan areas.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Transportation Walking Among US Adults With and Without Transportation Insecurity, 2022 National Health Interview Survey
Reports on a study describing transportation walking among adults with and without transportation insecurity, using data on 25,889 adults. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Graycie Soto, Miriam E. Van Dyke, Jasmine Y. Nakayama, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Reports on a study describing transportation walking among adults with and without transportation insecurity, using data on 25,889 adults. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Graycie Soto, Miriam E. Van Dyke, Jasmine Y. Nakayama, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Urban and Rural Hospital Closures in Georgia, 2022-2024
Results of a study examining postclosure changes in discharge volume, charges, and length of stay at hospitals within 35 miles of a hospital closure in Georgia from 2022-2024. Includes statistics on characteristics of discharges from hospitals that remained open, as well as outcomes associated with a closure, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Kajal Patel, Young-Rock Hong, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635085
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study examining postclosure changes in discharge volume, charges, and length of stay at hospitals within 35 miles of a hospital closure in Georgia from 2022-2024. Includes statistics on characteristics of discharges from hospitals that remained open, as well as outcomes associated with a closure, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Kajal Patel, Young-Rock Hong, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635085
Date: 09/2026
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