Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Behavioral health
Providing Accountable Care Organizations the Ability to Expand the Use of Telehealth: Report to Congress
Analyzes the telehealth use and spending among fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries assigned to accountable care organizations (ACOs). Compares the rate of telehealth use across ACO and non-ACO providers between 2020 and 2023, as well as across provider types, dual eligibility, HPSA-status of patient residence, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Analyzes the telehealth use and spending among fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare beneficiaries assigned to accountable care organizations (ACOs). Compares the rate of telehealth use across ACO and non-ACO providers between 2020 and 2023, as well as across provider types, dual eligibility, HPSA-status of patient residence, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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"It's a Last Straw Situation"; Overdose Response and Preferences for Seeking Support from Emergency Services During Overdose in Rural Ohio
Explores the perceptions and preferences of people in rural Ohio affected by the opioid epidemic about contacting first responders during an overdose. Bases findings on a survey of 43 rural people who have experienced or witnessed an overdose on the factors they considered when deciding whether or not to call 911.
Author(s): David C. Colston, Vivian F. Go, Clare Barrington, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(1), e0338689
Date: 01/2026
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Explores the perceptions and preferences of people in rural Ohio affected by the opioid epidemic about contacting first responders during an overdose. Bases findings on a survey of 43 rural people who have experienced or witnessed an overdose on the factors they considered when deciding whether or not to call 911.
Author(s): David C. Colston, Vivian F. Go, Clare Barrington, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(1), e0338689
Date: 01/2026
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Supporting Rural Primary Care Practices in Delivering Care for Chronic Pain
Provides guidance on chronic pain care in rural primary care practices. Discusses best practices for delivering high-quality care in rural areas, including discussion of substance use disorder treatment and prevention, barriers to care delivery in rural practices, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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Provides guidance on chronic pain care in rural primary care practices. Discusses best practices for delivering high-quality care in rural areas, including discussion of substance use disorder treatment and prevention, barriers to care delivery in rural practices, and more.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence
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Exploring the Use of Telemedicine to Expand Addiction and Recovery Resources in Great Plains Tribal Communities
Explores the use of telemedicine to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to patients in tribal communities. Explores the barriers and facilitators to implementing telemedicine-based MOUD services across the Great Plains Area of the Indian Health Service.
Author(s): Michael C. Harding, Anna C. Kihlstrom, Allison Kelliher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70113
Date: 01/2026
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Explores the use of telemedicine to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to patients in tribal communities. Explores the barriers and facilitators to implementing telemedicine-based MOUD services across the Great Plains Area of the Indian Health Service.
Author(s): Michael C. Harding, Anna C. Kihlstrom, Allison Kelliher, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70113
Date: 01/2026
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America's Health Rankings Annual Report 2025
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 99 measures drawn from 31 data sources to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout. See the section titled, "Spotlight: Rural Communities," for information on trends in colorectal and breast cancer screening rates and physical inactivity of adults in rural areas between 2022 and 2024.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Provides a national and state-by-state overview of population health by analyzing 99 measures drawn from 31 data sources to describe and rank health outcomes in the U.S. Analyzes and presents data on disparities by geography and demographic characteristics throughout. See the section titled, "Spotlight: Rural Communities," for information on trends in colorectal and breast cancer screening rates and physical inactivity of adults in rural areas between 2022 and 2024.
Additional links: Executive Brief
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Tennessee Uninsured Adult Healthcare Safety Net: 2025 Annual Report
Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2025. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Reports on Tennessee's uninsured population, state safety net funding, and services provided in 2025. Lists safety net service locations, including community and faith-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, dental clinics, and more. Provides county-by-county data on primary, oral, and specialty care population-to-provider ratios, and includes county-level maps of Health Resource Shortage Areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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A Web-Based Cancer Prevention Intervention for Rural Emerging Adults: Mixed Methods Development and Pilot-Testing Study
Presents results from a pilot study of a web-based cancer prevention intervention for rural emerging adults aged 18-26 years. Utilizes engagement and survey data to demonstrate how the use of Facebook posts focused on reducing cancer risk behaviors may influence health outcomes in rural populations.
Author(s): Echo L. Warner, Alishia Kinsey, Barbara J. Walkosz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 28, e80803
Date: 01/2026
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Presents results from a pilot study of a web-based cancer prevention intervention for rural emerging adults aged 18-26 years. Utilizes engagement and survey data to demonstrate how the use of Facebook posts focused on reducing cancer risk behaviors may influence health outcomes in rural populations.
Author(s): Echo L. Warner, Alishia Kinsey, Barbara J. Walkosz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Medical Internet Research, 28, e80803
Date: 01/2026
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Health Concerns of Women in Agriculture in the Midwestern United States
Presents a study exploring the health and safety needs of women working as agricultural producers. Bases findings on a survey of 120 agricultural women in Nebraska. Explores concerns about zoonotic diseases, reproductive health concerns, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental health challenges, among other issues common to agricultural work.
Author(s): Cheryl L. Beseler, Megan Lutt, Alex Egbuchiem, Ellen G. Duysen
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 31, 11-19
Date: 01/2026
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Presents a study exploring the health and safety needs of women working as agricultural producers. Bases findings on a survey of 120 agricultural women in Nebraska. Explores concerns about zoonotic diseases, reproductive health concerns, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental health challenges, among other issues common to agricultural work.
Author(s): Cheryl L. Beseler, Megan Lutt, Alex Egbuchiem, Ellen G. Duysen
Citation: Journal of Agromedicine, 31, 11-19
Date: 01/2026
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Learning Modalities During COVID-19 and Adolescent Mental Health in North Carolina
Examines virtual, hybrid, and in-person learning modalities and their impact on adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes mental health emergency department (ED) visits in North Carolina alongside county-level information on learning modalities used over time. Provides rural versus urban data on impacts of learning modality on mental health.
Author(s): Justin Cole Gilbert, Martie P. Thompson, Sophia Ryan, Manan Roy
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(1), e70093
Date: 01/2026
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Examines virtual, hybrid, and in-person learning modalities and their impact on adolescent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes mental health emergency department (ED) visits in North Carolina alongside county-level information on learning modalities used over time. Provides rural versus urban data on impacts of learning modality on mental health.
Author(s): Justin Cole Gilbert, Martie P. Thompson, Sophia Ryan, Manan Roy
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(1), e70093
Date: 01/2026
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Mental Health
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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