Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Access
The Role of the Clubhouse Model in Addressing Health Inequalities in Rural Wyoming: A Qualitative Study
Discusses how the Clubhouse model, focused on community mental health support, can support recovery and improve quality of life for people with mental illness in rural Wyoming. Provides excerpts from interviews with 12 Clubhouse members and 4 staff on factors influencing negative mental health outcomes among rural people, including limited access to services, and the role of the Clubhouse in facilitating access to mental health and housing services and facilitating economic stability.
Author(s): Ruth Korankye, Gloria Oladeji, Lauren Gilbert
Citation: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 21(1)
Date: 10/2026
view details
Discusses how the Clubhouse model, focused on community mental health support, can support recovery and improve quality of life for people with mental illness in rural Wyoming. Provides excerpts from interviews with 12 Clubhouse members and 4 staff on factors influencing negative mental health outcomes among rural people, including limited access to services, and the role of the Clubhouse in facilitating access to mental health and housing services and facilitating economic stability.
Author(s): Ruth Korankye, Gloria Oladeji, Lauren Gilbert
Citation: International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being, 21(1)
Date: 10/2026
view details
Beyond the Clinic: Why Primary Care Matters to Texas Communities
Webinar presenting case studies on the role of primary care in supporting health, well-being, and economic stability in Texas communities, discussing rural areas throughout. Transcript available via video description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Adrian Billings, Dale Carruthers, Ankit Sanghavi
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Texas Primary Care Consortium
view details
Webinar presenting case studies on the role of primary care in supporting health, well-being, and economic stability in Texas communities, discussing rural areas throughout. Transcript available via video description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Adrian Billings, Dale Carruthers, Ankit Sanghavi
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Texas Primary Care Consortium
view details
Survey of the Availability of Neurology Services on Hawaiʻi Island
Examines access to neurology services via a survey of 28 primary care physicians on Hawaii Island, covering topics including the prevalence of neurological complaints or diagnoses among patients, the ability of physicians to manage or refer patients for neurological conditions, and more. Discusses access challenges related to Hawaii's rurality throughout.
Author(s): Jan Augustine E. Aurelio, J. Douglas Miles
Citation: Hawaii Journal of Health and Social Welfare, 85(10), 299-306
Date: 10/2026
view details
Examines access to neurology services via a survey of 28 primary care physicians on Hawaii Island, covering topics including the prevalence of neurological complaints or diagnoses among patients, the ability of physicians to manage or refer patients for neurological conditions, and more. Discusses access challenges related to Hawaii's rurality throughout.
Author(s): Jan Augustine E. Aurelio, J. Douglas Miles
Citation: Hawaii Journal of Health and Social Welfare, 85(10), 299-306
Date: 10/2026
view details
South Dakota Department of Health - Maternal and Infant Health Task Force Strategic Plan
Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
view details
Report provides an overview of maternal and infant health outcomes and needs in South Dakota. Discusses access challenges in rural counties, particularly in counties with hospitals that lack obstetric units, and compares obstetric services in rural and urban hospitals. Details maternal and infant health initiatives throughout the state.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: South Dakota Department of Health
view details
America's Health Rankings 2026 Health of Women and Children Report
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
view details
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
view details
Behavioral Health's Place in the Alaskan Health Aide Workforce, with Xiomara Owens and Tonya Horn
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Xiomara Owens, PhD, of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Tonya Horn, PhD, of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Focuses on how Alaska's Behavioral Health Aide program meets behavioral health needs in rural communities.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Xiomara Owens, PhD, of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Tonya Horn, PhD, of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Focuses on how Alaska's Behavioral Health Aide program meets behavioral health needs in rural communities.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Regional Highlights: Changes in Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in the US, 2010-2024
Describes changes in availability of obstetric services at hospitals in the 4 U.S. census regions, including hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Describes changes in availability of obstetric services at hospitals in the 4 U.S. census regions, including hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Veterans Affairs Clinical Resource Hub Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Rural Veterans
Evaluates 627,436 telemental health service encounters over 5 years with rural veterans to determine the impact of 18 Clinical Resource Hubs on access to mental healthcare. Discusses how utilization of telemental health services increased over the 5 years, trends in modality types, and mental health diagnoses, in addition to other demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Erin Jaske, Chelle L. Wheat, Bradford Felker, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 32(10), 995-1002
Date: 10/2026
view details
Evaluates 627,436 telemental health service encounters over 5 years with rural veterans to determine the impact of 18 Clinical Resource Hubs on access to mental healthcare. Discusses how utilization of telemental health services increased over the 5 years, trends in modality types, and mental health diagnoses, in addition to other demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Erin Jaske, Chelle L. Wheat, Bradford Felker, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 32(10), 995-1002
Date: 10/2026
view details
Sanders Announces $54.6 Million Awarded in Rural Health Transformation Funds
Announces recipients of funding through two initiatives as part of the first year of the Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program: Healthy Eating, Active Recreation & Transformation (HEART) and Recruitment, Innovation Skills, and Education for Arkansas (RISE AR). Describes each awarded project, its service area, and funding amount.
Additional links: List of Organization and Award Amounts - RISE AR and HEART
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
view details
Announces recipients of funding through two initiatives as part of the first year of the Arkansas Rural Health Transformation Program: Healthy Eating, Active Recreation & Transformation (HEART) and Recruitment, Innovation Skills, and Education for Arkansas (RISE AR). Describes each awarded project, its service area, and funding amount.
Additional links: List of Organization and Award Amounts - RISE AR and HEART
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
view details
Geographic Access to Triple Negative Breast Cancer Clinical Trials: Are Trials Located Near Patients?
Examines how geographic proximity to clinical trials for triple-negative breast cancer varies by county-level characteristics using September 2024 ClinicalTrials.gov data. Includes comparisons by rurality, among other demographic and geographic characteristics.
Author(s): Laura Burns Amin, M. Kelsey Kirkwood, Laura A. Levit, et al.
Citation: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 219, 22
Date: 09/2026
view details
Examines how geographic proximity to clinical trials for triple-negative breast cancer varies by county-level characteristics using September 2024 ClinicalTrials.gov data. Includes comparisons by rurality, among other demographic and geographic characteristics.
Author(s): Laura Burns Amin, M. Kelsey Kirkwood, Laura A. Levit, et al.
Citation: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 219, 22
Date: 09/2026
view details