Rural Health
Resources by State: Kentucky
The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey Chartbook
Provides state- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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Provides state- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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Disparities in Access to Medicare-Approved Medical Specialists in Rural Kentucky
Describes healthcare disparities among rural Kentucky communities by examining the potential distance required to access specialty care. Features statistics with breakdowns by medical specialty and rural, urban, or mixed-designated ZIP codes, and a county-level map with shadings showing county designations based on eligibility for rural healthcare grants through the Department of Health and Human Services.
Author(s): Logan Hurm, Jacob A. Welch, James Adkins
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(2), 1-13
Date: 08/2026
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Describes healthcare disparities among rural Kentucky communities by examining the potential distance required to access specialty care. Features statistics with breakdowns by medical specialty and rural, urban, or mixed-designated ZIP codes, and a county-level map with shadings showing county designations based on eligibility for rural healthcare grants through the Department of Health and Human Services.
Author(s): Logan Hurm, Jacob A. Welch, James Adkins
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(2), 1-13
Date: 08/2026
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Mental Health Stressors and Barriers to Support Among Rural Farmers: A Qualitative Study of Agricultural Communities in the East South-Central United States
Explores how farmers experience mental health stressors, coping strategies, and barriers to seeking help via thematic analysis of interviews with 14 rural Kentucky farmers. Discusses farming-specific stressors, stigma, self-reliance, and lessons for suicide prevention.
Author(s): Jeanne M. Ward, Melissa Perkins, John R. Blosnich
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(8), 983
Date: 07/2026
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Explores how farmers experience mental health stressors, coping strategies, and barriers to seeking help via thematic analysis of interviews with 14 rural Kentucky farmers. Discusses farming-specific stressors, stigma, self-reliance, and lessons for suicide prevention.
Author(s): Jeanne M. Ward, Melissa Perkins, John R. Blosnich
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(8), 983
Date: 07/2026
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Building Rural Capacity to Navigate Population and Economic Change
Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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2026 Workforce Survey Report: The Status of Kentucky's Hospital Workforce
Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2025. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2025. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Alpha-gal Immunoglobulin E Seroprevalence Among Blood Donors — 10 States, 2024–2025
Reports on prevalence of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), an allergy to meat and dairy due to tick bites, based on blood donor samples collected during 2024–2025 from 10 states. Includes data for rural, suburban, and urban locations.
Author(s): Eleanor F. Saunders, Marissa L. Taylor, Emma S. Jones, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(25), 315-321
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on prevalence of alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), an allergy to meat and dairy due to tick bites, based on blood donor samples collected during 2024–2025 from 10 states. Includes data for rural, suburban, and urban locations.
Author(s): Eleanor F. Saunders, Marissa L. Taylor, Emma S. Jones, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(25), 315-321
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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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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Severe Mental Health Conditions, Fentanyl Injection, and Severe Substance Use Disorders Are Associated with Violent Victimization among Rural Appalachian Adults Who Inject Drugs
Explores the correlation between polyvictimization, having experienced two or more types of violence, and mental health conditions, substance use, and socio-demographic factors among people who inject drugs in rural Appalachia. Breaks down data by types of violence experienced, mental health and substance use history, age, sex, and experience with homelessness, among other measures.
Author(s): Janet K. Otachi, Shawndaya S. Thrasher, Leah A. Munroe, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 52(3), 409-419
Date: 06/2026
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Explores the correlation between polyvictimization, having experienced two or more types of violence, and mental health conditions, substance use, and socio-demographic factors among people who inject drugs in rural Appalachia. Breaks down data by types of violence experienced, mental health and substance use history, age, sex, and experience with homelessness, among other measures.
Author(s): Janet K. Otachi, Shawndaya S. Thrasher, Leah A. Munroe, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 52(3), 409-419
Date: 06/2026
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Contraceptive Method Provision Patterns Among Rural and Urban Kentucky Medicaid Enrollees
Describes contraceptive provision rates among Medicaid enrollees in Kentucky in 2019. Analyzes Kentucky Medicaid claims from calendar year 2019 to examine provider- and patient-related differences in the contraceptive methods provided, including variations by the rurality of the patient's residence.
Author(s): Dustin K. Miracle, Svetla Slavova, Jeffrey Talbert, Daniela C. Moga, Patricia R. Freeman
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70160
Date: 05/2026
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Describes contraceptive provision rates among Medicaid enrollees in Kentucky in 2019. Analyzes Kentucky Medicaid claims from calendar year 2019 to examine provider- and patient-related differences in the contraceptive methods provided, including variations by the rurality of the patient's residence.
Author(s): Dustin K. Miracle, Svetla Slavova, Jeffrey Talbert, Daniela C. Moga, Patricia R. Freeman
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70160
Date: 05/2026
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Feasibility Study of a Screening Decision Tool for Allocating Adults into Food Is Medicine Programs as an Effective Approach to Target Clinical and Dietary Outcomes among Rural and Urban Adults
Examines the feasibility of utilizing a food insecurity screening tool to identify hypertension patients in a Kentucky hospital system needing medically tailored meals (MTM) or grocery prescription (Rx). Provides rural versus urban program comparisons, with data on clinical results as well as qualitative feedback from participants. Discusses the screening tool's effectiveness in identifying nutrition needs in both rural and urban patients.
Author(s): Alison Gustafson, Carolyn Lauckner, Joshua L. Bush, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 04/2026
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Examines the feasibility of utilizing a food insecurity screening tool to identify hypertension patients in a Kentucky hospital system needing medically tailored meals (MTM) or grocery prescription (Rx). Provides rural versus urban program comparisons, with data on clinical results as well as qualitative feedback from participants. Discusses the screening tool's effectiveness in identifying nutrition needs in both rural and urban patients.
Author(s): Alison Gustafson, Carolyn Lauckner, Joshua L. Bush, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 14
Date: 04/2026
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