Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
COVID-19 Antiviral Prescription Receipt Among Outpatients Aged ≥65 Years — United States, June 1, 2023–September 30, 2025
Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Expanding the Reach of the Full-Service Community Schools Program
Examines the impact of the U.S. Department of Education's Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grant program to expand community schools in rural and high-poverty areas. Discusses the impact of community schools to provide health and human services supports to students in high-need areas as well as information about and location of new FSCS grantees. Includes data on percentage of 2023 FSCSs that are rural versus non-rural.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Institute of Education Sciences
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Examines the impact of the U.S. Department of Education's Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grant program to expand community schools in rural and high-poverty areas. Discusses the impact of community schools to provide health and human services supports to students in high-need areas as well as information about and location of new FSCS grantees. Includes data on percentage of 2023 FSCSs that are rural versus non-rural.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Institute of Education Sciences
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Long-Term Mortality Trends in Patients with Concurrent Hernia and Diabetes in the United States
Analyzes demographic variations in long-term mortality trends among patients with both hernia and diabetes mellitus as contributing causes of death, using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons by metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area, among other factors.
Author(s): Xiaoyang Shi, Xiao Yu, Yu-Jun Xiong, Tian Lv, Xiaoyong Si
Citation: Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17, 1723074
Date: 02/2026
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Analyzes demographic variations in long-term mortality trends among patients with both hernia and diabetes mellitus as contributing causes of death, using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons by metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area, among other factors.
Author(s): Xiaoyang Shi, Xiao Yu, Yu-Jun Xiong, Tian Lv, Xiaoyong Si
Citation: Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17, 1723074
Date: 02/2026
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Final Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, RTI International
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A Comparison of Independent and System-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Compares independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by organizational characteristics, financial performance, and county characteristics. Presents Medicare Cost Report data from 2023-2024 on the number and percentage of independent and system-affiliated rural hospitals by state, ownership characteristics, Medicare payment classification, use of swing beds, financial distress, and more.
Author(s): Aditya R. Pillutla, Sruthi Malavika Srinivasan, Kristie Thompson, George Pink, Tyler Malone
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Strengthening California's Primary Care Team Workforce: Data and Recommendations for Action
Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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Reports on the state of California's primary care workforce and provides policy recommendations. Provides data and discussion on topics including workforce-related barriers to care, approaches to payment and reimbursement, workforce training, and support for service delivery models. Discusses rural and underserved areas throughout.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Summary of Policy Recommendations, Technical Appendix
Author(s): Diane Rittenhouse, Katie Coleman, Janet Coffman, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: California Health Care Foundation
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'No Safe Level of Lead': How Mining Towns Are Reducing the Risk of Lead Exposure – And What Other Rural Communities Can Learn from Them
Highlights efforts in rural Idaho and Kansas to raise awareness of the dangers of lead exposure. Discusses health screenings and follow-up care, as well as outreach activities and educational materials.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Highlights efforts in rural Idaho and Kansas to raise awareness of the dangers of lead exposure. Discusses health screenings and follow-up care, as well as outreach activities and educational materials.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Health Care Access from the Rural Perspective: A Narrative Review
Examines rural healthcare access in the dimensions of geographic, temporal, financial, cultural, and virtual. Discusses rural versus urban access challenges and access disparities related to geographic distance and available transportation, broadband internet access and digital literacy, healthcare workforce shortages, and the social determinants of health.
Author(s): Peter Kaboli, Adam Blaine, Jasmine Mares, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70119
Date: 02/2026
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Examines rural healthcare access in the dimensions of geographic, temporal, financial, cultural, and virtual. Discusses rural versus urban access challenges and access disparities related to geographic distance and available transportation, broadband internet access and digital literacy, healthcare workforce shortages, and the social determinants of health.
Author(s): Peter Kaboli, Adam Blaine, Jasmine Mares, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70119
Date: 02/2026
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Rural-Serving Primary Care Practitioners' and Cardiologists' Care Adaptations for Cardiovascular Services: A Qualitative Analysis
Examines the cardiovascular services provided by rural-serving primary care practitioners and cardiologists. Utilizes interview feedback from 20 healthcare professionals and discusses rural cardiovascular services as related to interprofessional collaboration, expanded scope of practice, altered care, care adaptations, and more.
Author(s): Susan G. Miller, Signe Burchim, Kristin Beima-Sofie, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70129
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the cardiovascular services provided by rural-serving primary care practitioners and cardiologists. Utilizes interview feedback from 20 healthcare professionals and discusses rural cardiovascular services as related to interprofessional collaboration, expanded scope of practice, altered care, care adaptations, and more.
Author(s): Susan G. Miller, Signe Burchim, Kristin Beima-Sofie, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70129
Date: 02/2026
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Mental Health Treatment among Adults Who Had Serious Thoughts of Suicide
Offers 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data showing adults that received mental health treatment and had thoughts of suicide. Includes a breakdown by county type at the large metropolitan, small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan levels.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Offers 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data showing adults that received mental health treatment and had thoughts of suicide. Includes a breakdown by county type at the large metropolitan, small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan levels.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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