Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
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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The Association of Hospital Characteristics With Medicaid Managed Care Hospital Prices
Examines the relationship between hospital characteristics and Medicaid facility prices for routine procedures. Utilizes 2021-2023 facility claims data from Elevance Health-affiliated Medicaid plans, alongside American Hospital Directory data, to compare prices by Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and children's hospital status, ownership (for-profit, religiously affiliated, or government), teaching status, system affiliation, rurality, and size.
Author(s): Brett Alfrey, Benjamin Ukert, Aliza S. Gordon
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(6), e70178
Date: 12/2026
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Examines the relationship between hospital characteristics and Medicaid facility prices for routine procedures. Utilizes 2021-2023 facility claims data from Elevance Health-affiliated Medicaid plans, alongside American Hospital Directory data, to compare prices by Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and children's hospital status, ownership (for-profit, religiously affiliated, or government), teaching status, system affiliation, rurality, and size.
Author(s): Brett Alfrey, Benjamin Ukert, Aliza S. Gordon
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(6), e70178
Date: 12/2026
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Evaluating the Feasibility of Implementing School Staff Well-Being Programs
Examines the School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health (SWITCH) initiative that focuses on supplemental staff well-being programming. Analyzes staff feedback from 6 majority rural schools that participated in 2 years of programming and provides data on perceptions of well-being programming, such as quality, effectiveness, impact, feasibility, and more.
Author(s): Jimmy Duhamahoro, Angela M. Tuttle Prince, Spyridoula Vazou, Sally S. DuBois, Gregory J. Welk
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(11), e70286
Date: 11/2026
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Examines the School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health (SWITCH) initiative that focuses on supplemental staff well-being programming. Analyzes staff feedback from 6 majority rural schools that participated in 2 years of programming and provides data on perceptions of well-being programming, such as quality, effectiveness, impact, feasibility, and more.
Author(s): Jimmy Duhamahoro, Angela M. Tuttle Prince, Spyridoula Vazou, Sally S. DuBois, Gregory J. Welk
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(11), e70286
Date: 11/2026
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The State of Mental Health in America 2026
Report presents data on mental health and substance use for youth and adults across all 50 states. Highlights barriers to mental health wellness, such as lack of mental healthcare coverage, mental health workforce shortages, and cost of treatment, among other factors. Discusses some challenges specific to rural communities.
Author(s): Maddy Reinert
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
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Report presents data on mental health and substance use for youth and adults across all 50 states. Highlights barriers to mental health wellness, such as lack of mental healthcare coverage, mental health workforce shortages, and cost of treatment, among other factors. Discusses some challenges specific to rural communities.
Author(s): Maddy Reinert
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
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Policy Impact of the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation: A Mixed Methods Study of Leaders' Conversion Experiences and Motivations
Presents a study on the financial profile and other factors affecting the decision to convert rural hospitals to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Explores financial factors like days of cash on hand, total unreimbursed costs, and total capital purchases, among others, and discusses the challenges of converting to an REH.
Author(s): Christopher Wiggs, Dunc Williams Jr., Kevin Wiley
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70240
Date: 11/2026
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Presents a study on the financial profile and other factors affecting the decision to convert rural hospitals to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Explores financial factors like days of cash on hand, total unreimbursed costs, and total capital purchases, among others, and discusses the challenges of converting to an REH.
Author(s): Christopher Wiggs, Dunc Williams Jr., Kevin Wiley
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70240
Date: 11/2026
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Washington's RHT Funds Are 100% Obligated
Provides an overview of the recipients of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding for budget period 1 in Washington. Lists organizations by RHTP initiative.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Washington State Health Care Authority
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Provides an overview of the recipients of Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) funding for budget period 1 in Washington. Lists organizations by RHTP initiative.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Washington State Health Care Authority
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Rural Health Transformation State Scorecards: Budget Period 1
Provides an overview of each state's progress implementing the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) through July 31, 2026. Reflects information reported by states in their Year 1 RHTP Annual Reports. Covers the status of state policy actions, Make Rural America Healthy Again state policy commitments, and the speed at which the state has implemented RHTP initiatives based on the number of checkpoints completed. Includes the amount of RHTP funding each state received for budget periods 1 and 2.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of each state's progress implementing the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) through July 31, 2026. Reflects information reported by states in their Year 1 RHTP Annual Reports. Covers the status of state policy actions, Make Rural America Healthy Again state policy commitments, and the speed at which the state has implemented RHTP initiatives based on the number of checkpoints completed. Includes the amount of RHTP funding each state received for budget periods 1 and 2.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Personal Networks and Cognitive Health Across Rural–Urban Contexts
Analyzes the role of social bridging in aging-related cognitive decline among adults in rural versus urban areas, using interview data of 509 Indiana adults aged 55 and older interviewed between November 2023 and March 2024 as part of the Social Environment and Cognitive Health in Urban and Rural Areas study.
Author(s): Siyun Peng, Brea L. Perry, Adam R. Roth
Citation: The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 81(Suppl 3), S265-S274
Date: 11/2026
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Analyzes the role of social bridging in aging-related cognitive decline among adults in rural versus urban areas, using interview data of 509 Indiana adults aged 55 and older interviewed between November 2023 and March 2024 as part of the Social Environment and Cognitive Health in Urban and Rural Areas study.
Author(s): Siyun Peng, Brea L. Perry, Adam R. Roth
Citation: The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 81(Suppl 3), S265-S274
Date: 11/2026
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Rural Health Transformation Program State Programmatic Snapshots: 2026 Release - Year 2 Funding
Provides an overview of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives and focus areas. Describes policy action commitments outlined in states' project narratives and the funding states received related to these commitments for budget period 2. Includes overall funding amounts received by states for budget periods 1 and 2.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives and focus areas. Describes policy action commitments outlined in states' project narratives and the funding states received related to these commitments for budget period 2. Includes overall funding amounts received by states for budget periods 1 and 2.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Molecular Testing Among Patients With Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer in the Rural US
Explores factors associated with molecular testing among older adults with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as age, dual Medicaid and Medicare enrollment, Part D coverage, and visits with specialists. Analyzes data from a cohort of 8,259 NSCLC patients in rural areas between 2014-2019.
Author(s): Dena P. Rhinehart, Evelien van Gelderen, Josephine Feliciano, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(11), e2642270
Date: 11/2026
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Explores factors associated with molecular testing among older adults with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as age, dual Medicaid and Medicare enrollment, Part D coverage, and visits with specialists. Analyzes data from a cohort of 8,259 NSCLC patients in rural areas between 2014-2019.
Author(s): Dena P. Rhinehart, Evelien van Gelderen, Josephine Feliciano, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(11), e2642270
Date: 11/2026
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