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
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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
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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
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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
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Billing of Distant Site Telehealth Services in Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
Presents instructions on how Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) should bill distant site telehealth services for services provided on or after October 1, 2026.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Presents instructions on how Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) should bill distant site telehealth services for services provided on or after October 1, 2026.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Geographic Variation in Amputations for Medicare Patients With Diabetic Lower-Extremity Wounds
Examines the factors and geographic variations related to amputations for patients with diabetic lower-extremity (DLE) wounds. Examines 707,971 recorded DLE wounds in Medicare patients according to patient characteristics, area deprivation, rurality, specialty care availability, and more. Includes U.S. heat maps showing percentage of amputations, wound management program availability, and podiatrist supply treating DLE wounds according to hospital referral region (HRR).
Author(s): Ioana Popescu, Helin Hernandez, Gabriela Plasencia, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(5), e2613616
Date: 05/2026
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Examines the factors and geographic variations related to amputations for patients with diabetic lower-extremity (DLE) wounds. Examines 707,971 recorded DLE wounds in Medicare patients according to patient characteristics, area deprivation, rurality, specialty care availability, and more. Includes U.S. heat maps showing percentage of amputations, wound management program availability, and podiatrist supply treating DLE wounds according to hospital referral region (HRR).
Author(s): Ioana Popescu, Helin Hernandez, Gabriela Plasencia, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(5), e2613616
Date: 05/2026
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Equine-Related Injuries in Rural Oklahoma: A 10-Year Experience Emphasizing Genitourinary Trauma
Examines how equine-related injuries differed by mechanism, location, genitourinary injury prevalence, and severity in Oklahoma, using May 2015 through December 2025 trauma registry data on 259 injuries. Discusses how predominantly rural activities including ranching and recreation influence horse-related injury prevalence.
Author(s): James Charles, Vsevolod Shurkhay, Jianqiang Huo, et al.
Citation: World Journal of Urology, 44(1), 378
Date: 05/2026
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Examines how equine-related injuries differed by mechanism, location, genitourinary injury prevalence, and severity in Oklahoma, using May 2015 through December 2025 trauma registry data on 259 injuries. Discusses how predominantly rural activities including ranching and recreation influence horse-related injury prevalence.
Author(s): James Charles, Vsevolod Shurkhay, Jianqiang Huo, et al.
Citation: World Journal of Urology, 44(1), 378
Date: 05/2026
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When Ambulances Wait at the Emergency Department: Hospital Factors and Offload times in California
Analyzes ambulance patient offload time (APOT) between emergency medical services (EMS) and 310 emergency departments (ED) in California in 2022 to determine associations with hospital characteristics including rurality and number of ED treatment stations. The study data precedes a 2023 state law establishing statewide standards for APOT and so aims to offer baseline metrics for understanding policy impact.
Author(s): Esmeralda Melgoza, Madeline Fedmeier, Crystal Chen, Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez, Renee Y. Hsia
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Analyzes ambulance patient offload time (APOT) between emergency medical services (EMS) and 310 emergency departments (ED) in California in 2022 to determine associations with hospital characteristics including rurality and number of ED treatment stations. The study data precedes a 2023 state law establishing statewide standards for APOT and so aims to offer baseline metrics for understanding policy impact.
Author(s): Esmeralda Melgoza, Madeline Fedmeier, Crystal Chen, Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez, Renee Y. Hsia
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Why Are Massachusetts Opioid Prescribing Rates Higher in Rural Versus Urban Areas?
Examines opioid prescribing trends in Massachusetts according to metro versus nonmetro patient characteristics, facility and provider availability, opioid supply and demand, and more. Utilizes 2010-2014 Massachusetts All-Payer Claims (MAPC) data and discusses the factors that lead to geographic differences in opioid prescribing.
Author(s): Alicia Sasser Modestino, Gary J. Young, Mahmudul Hasan, Jiesheng Shi, Noor E. Alam
Citation: PLoS One, 21(5), e0349247
Date: 05/2026
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Examines opioid prescribing trends in Massachusetts according to metro versus nonmetro patient characteristics, facility and provider availability, opioid supply and demand, and more. Utilizes 2010-2014 Massachusetts All-Payer Claims (MAPC) data and discusses the factors that lead to geographic differences in opioid prescribing.
Author(s): Alicia Sasser Modestino, Gary J. Young, Mahmudul Hasan, Jiesheng Shi, Noor E. Alam
Citation: PLoS One, 21(5), e0349247
Date: 05/2026
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Florida Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Florida in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Florida in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Dementia Diagnostic Deserts: Workforce and Geographic Inequities in the Diagnostic Pathway for Cognitive Impairment
Describes the "Triple Disadvantage Zones" or the places where rurality, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas, and social deprivation converge to create a dementia diagnostic desert resulting in both delayed diagnosis and over-testing. Discusses training gaps for nurse practitioners and physician assistants as well as policy measures to mitigate diagnosis errors.
Author(s): Zhijing Xu, Ying Xue, Yaguang Zheng, Bei Wu
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Describes the "Triple Disadvantage Zones" or the places where rurality, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas, and social deprivation converge to create a dementia diagnostic desert resulting in both delayed diagnosis and over-testing. Discusses training gaps for nurse practitioners and physician assistants as well as policy measures to mitigate diagnosis errors.
Author(s): Zhijing Xu, Ying Xue, Yaguang Zheng, Bei Wu
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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A New Network of Rural Providers in Arkansas Looks to Take On The 'Needs and Pain Points' of Behavioral Healthcare
Features the Arkansas Rural Behavioral Health Access Network, a network of primary care providers working to improve regional access to mental and behavioral health resources.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Features the Arkansas Rural Behavioral Health Access Network, a network of primary care providers working to improve regional access to mental and behavioral health resources.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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