Rural Veterans and Access to Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Veterans and Access to Healthcare.
Home Health Utilization in the Veterans Health Administration: Are there Rural and Urban Differences?
Examines home health usage and access among veterans in rural and urban areas. Utilizes 2019-2021 Veterans Health Administration (VA) data to analyze rural versus urban home health use, with data broken down by patient sociodemographic variables as well as number of visits.
Author(s): Heather Davila, Bradely Mayfield, Michelle A. Mengeling, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12865
Date: 2025
Type: Document
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Examines home health usage and access among veterans in rural and urban areas. Utilizes 2019-2021 Veterans Health Administration (VA) data to analyze rural versus urban home health use, with data broken down by patient sociodemographic variables as well as number of visits.
Author(s): Heather Davila, Bradely Mayfield, Michelle A. Mengeling, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12865
Date: 2025
Type: Document
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2024 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report
Report highlights the rate of suicide among veterans and the VA's role in suicide prevention. Discusses the causes of veteran suicide and the steps the VA is taking for suicide prevention. Breaks down rates of suicide by gender, contact with the VHA, and rurality, among other factors. The 2024 report is split into two parts. The second part is added as and additional link.
Additional links: Data Appendix, Part 2: Report Findings
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Report highlights the rate of suicide among veterans and the VA's role in suicide prevention. Discusses the causes of veteran suicide and the steps the VA is taking for suicide prevention. Breaks down rates of suicide by gender, contact with the VHA, and rurality, among other factors. The 2024 report is split into two parts. The second part is added as and additional link.
Additional links: Data Appendix, Part 2: Report Findings
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
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Connecting Unstably Housed Veterans Living in Rural Areas to Health Care: Perspectives From Health Care Navigators
Highlights a study of VA healthcare navigators (HCNs) effectiveness in helping rural veterans experiencing housing instability access healthcare services. Explores interpersonal, intrapersonal, and community-level barriers and facilitators to HCN services.
Author(s): Kalea Jones, Meagan Cusack, Gala True, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(S2), e14316
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
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Highlights a study of VA healthcare navigators (HCNs) effectiveness in helping rural veterans experiencing housing instability access healthcare services. Explores interpersonal, intrapersonal, and community-level barriers and facilitators to HCN services.
Author(s): Kalea Jones, Meagan Cusack, Gala True, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(S2), e14316
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
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Differential Effects of a Social Work Staffing Intervention on Social Work Access Among Rural and Highly Rural Veterans: A Cohort Study
Presents a study on the efficacy of a VA program to expand access of social work services to rural veterans. Draws data from VA sites that participated in the program from October 2016 to September 2021. Compares social worker utilization by rural and urban veterans and breaks down data by age, race, and reason for visit, among other factors.
Author(s): Andrew N. Honken, Christopher W. Halladay, Lisa E. Wootton, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(S2), e14327
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
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Presents a study on the efficacy of a VA program to expand access of social work services to rural veterans. Draws data from VA sites that participated in the program from October 2016 to September 2021. Compares social worker utilization by rural and urban veterans and breaks down data by age, race, and reason for visit, among other factors.
Author(s): Andrew N. Honken, Christopher W. Halladay, Lisa E. Wootton, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research, 59(S2), e14327
Date: 12/2024
Type: Document
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Identifying Areas of High Vulnerability for Rural Veteran Food Insecurity
Examines and locates veteran food insecurity in rural areas by mapping areas of high vulnerability with geographic information systems (GIS). Utilizes multiple data sources to map out Veterans Health Administration (VHA) locations, food deserts, high veteran population density, low community health rankings, and more. Shows locations in the U.S. that have a high population of veterans and food insecurity that are near a VHA location and may benefit from interventions.
Author(s): Sarah E. Bradley, Jacquelyn Heuer, Bridget Hahm, Kristin Pettey, Karen Besterman-Dahan
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 15
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Examines and locates veteran food insecurity in rural areas by mapping areas of high vulnerability with geographic information systems (GIS). Utilizes multiple data sources to map out Veterans Health Administration (VHA) locations, food deserts, high veteran population density, low community health rankings, and more. Shows locations in the U.S. that have a high population of veterans and food insecurity that are near a VHA location and may benefit from interventions.
Author(s): Sarah E. Bradley, Jacquelyn Heuer, Bridget Hahm, Kristin Pettey, Karen Besterman-Dahan
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 15
Date: 11/2024
Type: Document
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Initial Validation of a Short Version of the PERMA Profiler in a National Sample of Rural Veterans
Highlights a study on the wellbeing of rural veterans with service-connected disabilities or health conditions. Breaks down data by age, gender, and education, among other measures. Compares wellbeing scores with veterans without service-connected disabilities.
Author(s): Emre Umucu, Teresa Ann Granger, Deyu Pan, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1500659
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Highlights a study on the wellbeing of rural veterans with service-connected disabilities or health conditions. Breaks down data by age, gender, and education, among other measures. Compares wellbeing scores with veterans without service-connected disabilities.
Author(s): Emre Umucu, Teresa Ann Granger, Deyu Pan, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1500659
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Differing Needs for Advance Care Planning in the Veterans Health Administration: Use of Latent Class Analysis to Identify Subgroups to Enhance Advance Care Planning via Group Visits for Veterans
Analyzes the Advance Care Planning via Group Visits (ACP-GV) intervention among identifiable subgroups and their potential differing needs. Examines healthcare records of 26,857 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) users regarding their ACP knowledge and planning, with demographic breakdowns according to race/ethnicity, sex, marital status, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Monica M. Matthieu, Songthip T. Ounpraseuth, J. Silas Williams, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics, 25, 120
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Analyzes the Advance Care Planning via Group Visits (ACP-GV) intervention among identifiable subgroups and their potential differing needs. Examines healthcare records of 26,857 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) users regarding their ACP knowledge and planning, with demographic breakdowns according to race/ethnicity, sex, marital status, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Monica M. Matthieu, Songthip T. Ounpraseuth, J. Silas Williams, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Ethics, 25, 120
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Recommended Language for Veteran Status Screening Question in Health Centers
Provides best practices for how to identify veteran populations during screening at Health Centers. Includes data on percentage and number of veteran patients for selected states. Slide 3 shows the percentage of patients seen in rural versus urban locations.
Author(s): Gina Capra
Date: 10/2024
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Provides best practices for how to identify veteran populations during screening at Health Centers. Includes data on percentage and number of veteran patients for selected states. Slide 3 shows the percentage of patients seen in rural versus urban locations.
Author(s): Gina Capra
Date: 10/2024
Type: Presentation Slides
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Charting a Path to Comprehensive Healthcare for Rural Veterans, with Matt Coleman and James VanCleave
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Matt Coleman, Director of the Kentucky State Office of Rural Health, and James VanCleave, Rural Project Manager, Veterans Services for the KORH. Focuses on their work helping veterans access services and receive care and benefits from the VA and other providers.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Matt Coleman, Director of the Kentucky State Office of Rural Health, and James VanCleave, Rural Project Manager, Veterans Services for the KORH. Focuses on their work helping veterans access services and receive care and benefits from the VA and other providers.
Date: 10/2024
Type: Audio
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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"We Don't Get That Information Right Back to Us Unless It's a Full-Blown Cancer": Challenges Coordinating Lung Cancer Screening Across Healthcare Systems
Discusses how lung cancer screening (LCS) is coordinated across veteran affairs (VA) and non-VA healthcare systems. Analyzes 6 VA medical centers with LCS programs and provides feedback from semi-structured interviews with related LCS program and healthcare professionals. Discusses challenges with LCS coordination across the care continuum, with commentary specific to rural veterans.
Author(s): Rendelle E. Bolton, Eduardo R. Núñez, Jacqueline Boudreau, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Discusses how lung cancer screening (LCS) is coordinated across veteran affairs (VA) and non-VA healthcare systems. Analyzes 6 VA medical centers with LCS programs and provides feedback from semi-structured interviews with related LCS program and healthcare professionals. Discusses challenges with LCS coordination across the care continuum, with commentary specific to rural veterans.
Author(s): Rendelle E. Bolton, Eduardo R. Núñez, Jacqueline Boudreau, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 10/2024
Type: Document
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Last Updated: 12/20/2024