Rural Health
Resources by State: North Carolina
The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey Chartbook
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: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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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: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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The Workforce Outcomes of Physicians Completing Residency Training in North Carolina in 2017, 2018, and 2019
Analyzes the number and percent of residency and fellowship program graduates who completed training in 2017, 2018, and 2019 who were in practice in North Carolina and in rural areas 5 years after residency or fellowship graduation. Also examines the number and percent of physicians who completed residency training in North Carolina who were in practice in North Carolina 5 years after training for 7 high need specialties.
Author(s): Evan Galloway, Brianna Lombardi, Erin P. Fraher
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Analyzes the number and percent of residency and fellowship program graduates who completed training in 2017, 2018, and 2019 who were in practice in North Carolina and in rural areas 5 years after residency or fellowship graduation. Also examines the number and percent of physicians who completed residency training in North Carolina who were in practice in North Carolina 5 years after training for 7 high need specialties.
Author(s): Evan Galloway, Brianna Lombardi, Erin P. Fraher
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Promoting Health through Transdisciplinary Local Food System Partnerships: Insights from the North Carolina Local Food Council
Discusses the impact of the North Carolina Local Food Council (NCLFC) Community Health Working Group and their efforts to strengthen statewide and local food systems. Focuses on the North Carolina Medicaid 1115 Waiver Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOPs) case study that aimed to integrate local food into health systems and healthcare initiatives. Includes information about partnerships, collaborations, pilot structure, and network leads in specific North Carolina regions.
Author(s): Amanda S. Hege, Morgan Cooper, K. Alexander Soltany, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 14(3), 415-431
Date: 06/2025
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Discusses the impact of the North Carolina Local Food Council (NCLFC) Community Health Working Group and their efforts to strengthen statewide and local food systems. Focuses on the North Carolina Medicaid 1115 Waiver Healthy Opportunities Pilots (HOPs) case study that aimed to integrate local food into health systems and healthcare initiatives. Includes information about partnerships, collaborations, pilot structure, and network leads in specific North Carolina regions.
Author(s): Amanda S. Hege, Morgan Cooper, K. Alexander Soltany, et al.
Citation: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 14(3), 415-431
Date: 06/2025
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Navigating Natural Disasters: Lessons from North Carolina's Medicaid Response to Hurricane Recovery
Discusses disaster relief in North Carolina with North Carolina's Medicaid Chief Medical Officer, Janelle White. Focuses on preparedness, protecting various populations, problem solving, coordinating relationships, rural providers and agencies, and more.
Author(s): Emily Eelman
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Health Care Strategies, Juniper Peak Consulting
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Discusses disaster relief in North Carolina with North Carolina's Medicaid Chief Medical Officer, Janelle White. Focuses on preparedness, protecting various populations, problem solving, coordinating relationships, rural providers and agencies, and more.
Author(s): Emily Eelman
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Center for Health Care Strategies, Juniper Peak Consulting
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North Carolina Primary Care - Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA)
County-level map of Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, with shadings showing ranges of HPSA scores.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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County-level map of Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, with shadings showing ranges of HPSA scores.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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North Carolina Health Professional Shortage Area: 2024 Profile
Fact sheet on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, covering primary, mental health, and dental HPSAs. Includes county-level maps showing population and geographic HPSA score ranges, and indicates counties that contain at least one HPSA facility.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Fact sheet on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, covering primary, mental health, and dental HPSAs. Includes county-level maps showing population and geographic HPSA score ranges, and indicates counties that contain at least one HPSA facility.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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Rural North Carolina Continues Population Growth
Analyzes population trends for rural North Carolina from 2010-2024. Features a county-level map with shadings showing changes in population from 2023 to 2024, and statistics on population change during this period with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Author(s): Dalton Bailey
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: NC Rural Center
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Analyzes population trends for rural North Carolina from 2010-2024. Features a county-level map with shadings showing changes in population from 2023 to 2024, and statistics on population change during this period with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Author(s): Dalton Bailey
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: NC Rural Center
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Rural Emergency Medical Services Perspectives on Improving Acute Stroke Care: A Qualitative Study
Examines barriers and facilitators to timely and high-quality acute stroke care in rural communities via interviews with 12 rural EMS professionals in North Carolina. Discusses topics including comprehensive stroke assessment, destination decision protocols, communication between EMS and hospital staff, transport distances, limited staffing, and more.
Author(s): Emma N. Johnson, Mahesh V. Pinapaka, Mary E. Grewe, et al.
Citation: Prehospital Emergency Care, 29(8), 1123–1131
Date: 04/2025
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Examines barriers and facilitators to timely and high-quality acute stroke care in rural communities via interviews with 12 rural EMS professionals in North Carolina. Discusses topics including comprehensive stroke assessment, destination decision protocols, communication between EMS and hospital staff, transport distances, limited staffing, and more.
Author(s): Emma N. Johnson, Mahesh V. Pinapaka, Mary E. Grewe, et al.
Citation: Prehospital Emergency Care, 29(8), 1123–1131
Date: 04/2025
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Mapping Maternity Care Deserts: Driving Distance and Health Outcomes in North Carolina
Examines the relationship between maternity care deserts in North Carolina and maternal and infant health. Utilizes 2016-2021 hospitalization records to examine travel distance to care and health outcomes such as cesarean delivery rates, severe maternal morbidity, and hypertension. Discusses maternal health access issues across rural-urban commuting (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Margaret Sugg, Shishir Shakya, Sarah Ulrich, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Examines the relationship between maternity care deserts in North Carolina and maternal and infant health. Utilizes 2016-2021 hospitalization records to examine travel distance to care and health outcomes such as cesarean delivery rates, severe maternal morbidity, and hypertension. Discusses maternal health access issues across rural-urban commuting (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Margaret Sugg, Shishir Shakya, Sarah Ulrich, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 04/2025
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North Carolina Dental Health - Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA)
County-level map of Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, with shadings showing ranges of HPSA scores.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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County-level map of Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) in North Carolina, with shadings showing ranges of HPSA scores.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Office of Rural Health
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