Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
Overcoming Geographic Barriers: Enhancing Pediatric Subspecialty Access for Rural Families
Presents a case study of a rural family facing continued geographic challenges to accessing specialty care for their infant's histiocytic syndrome. Identifies individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy-level challenges and suggests policy approaches to address rural access disparities.
Author(s): Preston Simmons, Leah Beck, Eleanor Young, Laura Brower, Meghan Fanta
Citation: Hospital Pediatrics, e2024008150
Date: 02/2026
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Presents a case study of a rural family facing continued geographic challenges to accessing specialty care for their infant's histiocytic syndrome. Identifies individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy-level challenges and suggests policy approaches to address rural access disparities.
Author(s): Preston Simmons, Leah Beck, Eleanor Young, Laura Brower, Meghan Fanta
Citation: Hospital Pediatrics, e2024008150
Date: 02/2026
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Plugged in to Public Health: Rural Health Beyond the Mainland; Transportation, Access, and Care in Hawaii
Discusses how transportation influences healthcare access in rural Hawaii. Describes how geographic isolation and transportation barriers influence access to primary and preventive care and create high demand for emergency medical services, and details policy implications related to public transit, non-emergency medical transportation, and greater access to primary care. Transcript available below audio player.
Author(s): Lauren Lavin, John Desfor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa College of Public Health
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Discusses how transportation influences healthcare access in rural Hawaii. Describes how geographic isolation and transportation barriers influence access to primary and preventive care and create high demand for emergency medical services, and details policy implications related to public transit, non-emergency medical transportation, and greater access to primary care. Transcript available below audio player.
Author(s): Lauren Lavin, John Desfor
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Iowa College of Public Health
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From Clinics to Communities: Mobile Health in State Rural Health Transformation Plans
Highlights mobile health models included in state Rural Health Transformation Plan applications. Includes information on the effectiveness of mobile health models in rural healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Julia Burleson, Leila Sullivan
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy
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Highlights mobile health models included in state Rural Health Transformation Plan applications. Includes information on the effectiveness of mobile health models in rural healthcare delivery.
Author(s): Julia Burleson, Leila Sullivan
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy
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Roadblocks to Rural Health: State Transportation Policies' Impact on Health Care Access in Virginia's Rural Communities: 2021–2022
Examines transportation barriers that impact healthcare access and provides actionable strategies to remove barriers. Discusses collaboration with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to change signage policy and install directional signs to a rural Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Analyzes the subsequent impacts on access and cancer screening rates, as well as the importance of collaborating across community agencies.
Author(s): Katherine Y. Tossas, Bianca D. Owens, Michael O'Grady, Jinlei Zhao, Robert A. Winn
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 116(2), 175-179
Date: 02/2026
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Examines transportation barriers that impact healthcare access and provides actionable strategies to remove barriers. Discusses collaboration with the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to change signage policy and install directional signs to a rural Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Analyzes the subsequent impacts on access and cancer screening rates, as well as the importance of collaborating across community agencies.
Author(s): Katherine Y. Tossas, Bianca D. Owens, Michael O'Grady, Jinlei Zhao, Robert A. Winn
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 116(2), 175-179
Date: 02/2026
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Information Hub: Digital Divide in Kansas
Presents information on the digital divide in Kansas as well as programs meant to improve digital access in rural and underserved communities. Includes a county-level map that shows households without a computer or broadband and corresponding demographic breakdowns available by county.
Author(s): Kaci Cink, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Presents information on the digital divide in Kansas as well as programs meant to improve digital access in rural and underserved communities. Includes a county-level map that shows households without a computer or broadband and corresponding demographic breakdowns available by county.
Author(s): Kaci Cink, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Socioeconomic, Demographic and Geographic Disparities in Accessibility to Food Pantries in the United States
Examines access to food pantries (FPs) according to sociodemographic and geographic variables. Analyzes 34,475 FPs across the United States and provides data breakdowns by travel time and distance, area deprivation index (ADI), sociodemographics, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Yifan Zhang, Minhwa Lee, Jason B. Gibbons, et al.
Citation: Scientific Reports, 16, 6248
Date: 01/2026
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Examines access to food pantries (FPs) according to sociodemographic and geographic variables. Analyzes 34,475 FPs across the United States and provides data breakdowns by travel time and distance, area deprivation index (ADI), sociodemographics, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Yifan Zhang, Minhwa Lee, Jason B. Gibbons, et al.
Citation: Scientific Reports, 16, 6248
Date: 01/2026
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Geographical Barriers to Surgical Treatment for Cataract among California Medicare Beneficiaries
Analyzes geographic factors associated with receipt of cataract surgery among California Medicare beneficiaries, using 2017 California Medicare Database claims data. Breaks down data by travel time or distance to care, rurality, and race or ethnicity.
Author(s): Karla Murillo, Ken Kitayama, Fei Yu, Victoria L. Tseng, Anne L. Coleman
Citation: Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, 52(6), 544-550
Date: 01/2026
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Analyzes geographic factors associated with receipt of cataract surgery among California Medicare beneficiaries, using 2017 California Medicare Database claims data. Breaks down data by travel time or distance to care, rurality, and race or ethnicity.
Author(s): Karla Murillo, Ken Kitayama, Fei Yu, Victoria L. Tseng, Anne L. Coleman
Citation: Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, 52(6), 544-550
Date: 01/2026
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Trauma and Emergency Surgical Care at Rural Emergency Hospital-Eligible Facilities: Interstate Variation and Policy Implications for Rural Health Systems
Explores trauma and emergency general surgery volumes at hospitals eligible to become Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs). Analyzes 2021 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data from California, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, and Wisconsin, to describe the volume of emergency general surgery and trauma care performed at REH-eligible hospitals. Examines the characteristics of the populations and communities served by hospitals eligible for REH designation compared with those served by REH-ineligible hospitals. Discusses the potential impact of converting to the REH designation on access to trauma and emergency general surgery.
Author(s): Nina M. Clark, Alexandra H. Hernandez, Cody L. Mullens, et al.
Citation: Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 100(5), 768-776
Date: 01/2026
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Explores trauma and emergency general surgery volumes at hospitals eligible to become Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs). Analyzes 2021 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project data from California, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, and Wisconsin, to describe the volume of emergency general surgery and trauma care performed at REH-eligible hospitals. Examines the characteristics of the populations and communities served by hospitals eligible for REH designation compared with those served by REH-ineligible hospitals. Discusses the potential impact of converting to the REH designation on access to trauma and emergency general surgery.
Author(s): Nina M. Clark, Alexandra H. Hernandez, Cody L. Mullens, et al.
Citation: Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, 100(5), 768-776
Date: 01/2026
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Mobile Healthcare: The 2025 Mobile Clinics Landscape Report
Provides an overview of mobile health clinics, including data on the the growth of mobile clinics since 2013, services offered, and organizations that operates mobile clinics. Describes the impact of mobile clinics in rural communities. Features case studies on Arkansas Mobile Opioid Recovery (AMOR) and the Fort Defiance Indian Hospital Board's Mobile Health Program.
Date: 01/2026
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Provides an overview of mobile health clinics, including data on the the growth of mobile clinics since 2013, services offered, and organizations that operates mobile clinics. Describes the impact of mobile clinics in rural communities. Features case studies on Arkansas Mobile Opioid Recovery (AMOR) and the Fort Defiance Indian Hospital Board's Mobile Health Program.
Date: 01/2026
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Emergency Dental Care in the ACA Era: Rural–Urban Disparities and Their Association With State Medicaid Policy
Highlights a study exploring the role Medicaid expansion has played in the utilization of emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) among adults in rural and urban areas. Details the rates of ED utilization for NTDCs in rural and urban hospitals in 8 states and explores rates based on states' Medicaid policy.
Author(s): Marvellous A. Akinlotan, Dan Burch, Alva O. Ferdinand
Citation: Public Health Dentistry, 86(1), 99-108
Date: 01/2026
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Highlights a study exploring the role Medicaid expansion has played in the utilization of emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) among adults in rural and urban areas. Details the rates of ED utilization for NTDCs in rural and urban hospitals in 8 states and explores rates based on states' Medicaid policy.
Author(s): Marvellous A. Akinlotan, Dan Burch, Alva O. Ferdinand
Citation: Public Health Dentistry, 86(1), 99-108
Date: 01/2026
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