Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Frequent Police Contact and Nonfatal Overdose among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Appalachia
Explores the relationship between non-fatal overdoses and frequent stop-and-search contact with the police for rural people who use drugs (PWUD) in Kentucky. Breaks down data by participant demographic measures, such as age, sex, housing stability, frequency of police stops, and drug use, among other measures.
Author(s): Javier A. Cepeda, Talia Loeb, Zach R. Salazar, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 284, 113188
Date: 07/2026
view details
Explores the relationship between non-fatal overdoses and frequent stop-and-search contact with the police for rural people who use drugs (PWUD) in Kentucky. Breaks down data by participant demographic measures, such as age, sex, housing stability, frequency of police stops, and drug use, among other measures.
Author(s): Javier A. Cepeda, Talia Loeb, Zach R. Salazar, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 284, 113188
Date: 07/2026
view details
Exploring Associations Between Well-Being, Mental Distress, and Five Dimensions of Social Capital in Rural Georgia
Explores the role social capital plays in supporting mental health and well-being in rural communities. Bases findings on surveys collected from residents of 6 rural counties in Georgia. Breaks down findings by rates of mental health and well-being by dimension of social capital: trust, diversity of interactions, reciprocity, civic engagement, and voting.
Author(s): Alexis Joanna Smith, Lauren M Bigger, Robin E McGee, et al.
Citation: Family and Community Health, 49(3), 192-196
Date: 07/2026
view details
Explores the role social capital plays in supporting mental health and well-being in rural communities. Bases findings on surveys collected from residents of 6 rural counties in Georgia. Breaks down findings by rates of mental health and well-being by dimension of social capital: trust, diversity of interactions, reciprocity, civic engagement, and voting.
Author(s): Alexis Joanna Smith, Lauren M Bigger, Robin E McGee, et al.
Citation: Family and Community Health, 49(3), 192-196
Date: 07/2026
view details
Notes from the Field: Initial Public Health Response to a Measles Outbreak in a Close-Knit West Texas Community — January−February 2025
Discusses the public health response to a measles outbreak which took place in Texas's rural Gaines county and other nearby counties from January to August 2025. Covers topics including vaccine coverage, school-based public health responses, patient demographics and vaccination status, and multilingual communication and culturally-tailored materials.
Author(s): Carolyn A. Crisp, Scott Milton, Chelsea S. Lutz, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(23), 300-302
Date: 06/2026
view details
Discusses the public health response to a measles outbreak which took place in Texas's rural Gaines county and other nearby counties from January to August 2025. Covers topics including vaccine coverage, school-based public health responses, patient demographics and vaccination status, and multilingual communication and culturally-tailored materials.
Author(s): Carolyn A. Crisp, Scott Milton, Chelsea S. Lutz, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(23), 300-302
Date: 06/2026
view details
Changes in Neighborhood Foodscapes From 2003 to 2023 by Area Rurality in the United States
Examines neighborhood-level characteristics of U.S. foodscapes. Utilizes 2003-2023 licensed food retailer data to analyze healthfulness of available food, food deserts, and food swamps, with data broken down by state and rurality.
Author(s): Daniel Wiese, Marissa M. Shams-White, Zhiyuan Zheng, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 116
Date: 06/2026
view details
Examines neighborhood-level characteristics of U.S. foodscapes. Utilizes 2003-2023 licensed food retailer data to analyze healthfulness of available food, food deserts, and food swamps, with data broken down by state and rurality.
Author(s): Daniel Wiese, Marissa M. Shams-White, Zhiyuan Zheng, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 116
Date: 06/2026
view details
Medicaid Opportunities to Strengthen Oral Health Access In Rural Communities
Discusses how workforce innovations, teledentistry, rural workforce pipelines, and the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) can improve oral healthcare access for Medicaid recipients in rural communities.
Author(s): Madeline Steward
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
view details
Discusses how workforce innovations, teledentistry, rural workforce pipelines, and the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) can improve oral healthcare access for Medicaid recipients in rural communities.
Author(s): Madeline Steward
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
view details
Rural–Urban Differences in Use of Mental Health Care for Serious Mental Illness at the Veterans Health Administration: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis
Examines how use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health care varies among rural and urban veterans with serious mental illness (SMI), using FY 2018-2022 VHA administrative data. Includes data on rural and urban SMI prevalence, services used, and other demographic and clinical factors influencing service use.
Author(s): Alexandra B. Caloudas, Amber B. Amspoker, Ashley Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70173
Date: 06/2026
view details
Examines how use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health care varies among rural and urban veterans with serious mental illness (SMI), using FY 2018-2022 VHA administrative data. Includes data on rural and urban SMI prevalence, services used, and other demographic and clinical factors influencing service use.
Author(s): Alexandra B. Caloudas, Amber B. Amspoker, Ashley Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70173
Date: 06/2026
view details
Bridging the Rural Mental Health Gap: Telehealth Delivery of Specialized CBT and MBCT for Veterans With Parkinson's Disease
Examines the Veteran Affairs (VA) New Jersey Parkinson's Disease (PD) Telepsychotherapy Hub (PD Telepsych Hub) that provides virtual mental health treatments to rural veterans. Analyzes treatment results of 522 veterans with PD over 5 years of receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-PD) or group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT-PD). Provides data on sample demographics, clinical characteristics, pre- and post-treatment outcomes, and satisfaction with therapy.
Author(s): John R. Purcell, Rokas Perskaudas, Rachael B. Miller, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70175
Date: 06/2026
view details
Examines the Veteran Affairs (VA) New Jersey Parkinson's Disease (PD) Telepsychotherapy Hub (PD Telepsych Hub) that provides virtual mental health treatments to rural veterans. Analyzes treatment results of 522 veterans with PD over 5 years of receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-PD) or group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT-PD). Provides data on sample demographics, clinical characteristics, pre- and post-treatment outcomes, and satisfaction with therapy.
Author(s): John R. Purcell, Rokas Perskaudas, Rachael B. Miller, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70175
Date: 06/2026
view details
Advancing Rural Health: Illinois Small And Rural Hospitals
Provides an overview of rural hospitals in Illinois, with a focus on hospital characteristics, patient demographics, financial information, and healthcare workforce. Includes state map showing location and type of rural hospital.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Health and Hospital Association
view details
Provides an overview of rural hospitals in Illinois, with a focus on hospital characteristics, patient demographics, financial information, and healthcare workforce. Includes state map showing location and type of rural hospital.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Health and Hospital Association
view details
Relationship Between Food Security and Walking for Transportation: Findings by Region and Rurality
Examines how the relationship between food security and walking for transport varies by geographic region and rurality, using 2022 National Health Interview Survey data.
Author(s): Jessica Stroope, Marilyn E. Wende, Robert E. Anderson III, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70181
Date: 06/2026
view details
Examines how the relationship between food security and walking for transport varies by geographic region and rurality, using 2022 National Health Interview Survey data.
Author(s): Jessica Stroope, Marilyn E. Wende, Robert E. Anderson III, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70181
Date: 06/2026
view details
Auricular Point Acupressure Self-Management (APA-SM) Program for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain among Rural Populations: A Protocol for a Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Trial
Study protocol to examine the effectiveness of the Auricular Point Acupressure – Self-Management (APA-SM) program in addressing chronic musculoskeletal pain among rural-dwelling people in Texas and South Carolina.
Author(s): Jennifer Kawi, Jane Bolin, Hulin Wu, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 16, e117632
Date: 06/2026
view details
Study protocol to examine the effectiveness of the Auricular Point Acupressure – Self-Management (APA-SM) program in addressing chronic musculoskeletal pain among rural-dwelling people in Texas and South Carolina.
Author(s): Jennifer Kawi, Jane Bolin, Hulin Wu, et al.
Citation: BMJ Open, 16, e117632
Date: 06/2026
view details