Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
News by Topic: Public health

May 26, 2026 - Notice from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcing the renewal of the charter for the President's Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition. The Council advises the President on progress made in carrying out the provisions of Executive Order 14327, which aims to promote the economic, academic, and social benefits of youth sports, fitness, and nutrition. The charter is effective through May 8, 2028.
Source: Federal Register
May 22, 2026 - A proposed health initiative focused on chronic disease prevention could help residents of rural Ellis County, Kansas avoid preventable hospital visits. The Kansas Regional Chronic Disease Intelligence and Action Pilot Program would encourage use of shared data tools, evidence-based public health strategies, and regional coordination efforts.
Source: Hays Post
May 22, 2026 - Discusses the current H5N1 risks in the U.S. for farmworkers and others. Discusses use of personal protective equipment and the role of public health departments in building community trust for improved reporting and prevention efforts.
Source: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine News
May 18, 2026 - Notice from the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) delegating the authority to provide day-to-day administrative oversight of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
Source: Federal Register
May 12, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on Round 9 of the "National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) Rapid Surveys System (RSS)." The RSS complements the current household survey systems at NCHS and uses survey data from probability-based online panels to produce time-sensitive estimates of new and emerging public health topics, attitudes, and behaviors. Comments are due within 30 days of this notice.
Source: Federal Register
May 8, 2026 - A recent episode of the Iowa Economy Podcast features 3 healthcare and public health experts, who discuss how statewide health challenges are affecting Iowa's economy. They point out that these issues have implications for employers, workforce stability, and long-term economic growth.
Source: Business Record
May 5, 2026 - Notice from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeking comments on an information collection request titled "Message Testing for Tobacco Communication Activities (MTTCA)." MTTCA is designed to collect information about adult smokers' and nonsmokers' attitudes and perceptions towards tobacco, and to pretest draft messages and materials for clarity, salience, appeal, and persuasiveness. Comments are due July 6, 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 27, 2026 - Describes a doctoral student's journey to and through public health as well as her research on pesticide exposure in pregnant farmworkers in Idaho.
Source: Boise State University
Apr 23, 2026 - The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is seeking nominations to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Specific areas of expertise being sought include public health, application of science to health policy, and communication of scientific findings to diverse audiences. Nominations are due by May 23, 2026, to be considered for appointment beginning June 2026.
Source: Federal Register
Apr 21, 2026 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking comments on an information collection project titled "National Quitline Data Warehouse (NQDW)." NQDW provides information from all U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Asian Smoker's Quitline regarding the general smoking population who contact their state quitlines, as well as information on key subgroups of tobacco users who contact state quitlines to better support cessation services. Comments are due by June 22, 2026.
Source: Federal Register