Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Cancer

What Cancers Explain the Growing Rural-Urban Gap in Human Papillomavirus-Associated Cancer Incidence?
Presents a study comparing rates of Human-Papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers in rural and urban populations. Breaks down data by sex and rurality and tracks rates in 5 year increments from 2000 to 2019.
Author(s): Jason Semprini, Whitney Zahnd, Heather M. Brandt
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12915
Date: 01/2025
view details
Social Risks and Nonadherence to Recommended Cancer Screening Among US Adults
Examines social risks associated with nonadherence to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force cancer screening guidelines, utilizing 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. See Table 2 for demographic data breakdowns on prevalence and risk ratios of screening nonadherence by type of test, including rural-urban dwelling.
Author(s): Ami E. Sedani, Scarlett L. Gomez, Wayne R. Lawrence, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2449556
Date: 01/2025
view details
Proximity to Cancer Rehabilitation and Exercise Oncology by Geography, Race, and Socioeconomic Status
Examines the proximity to cancer rehabilitation and exercise oncology (CR/EO) programs and the health impacts of access. Utilizes 2020 American Community Survey (ACS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data to analyze 2,133 CR/EO programs, with breakdowns according to CR/EO distance, density, rural versus urban location, race/ethnicity, social deprivation index, U.S. region, and cancer incidence and mortality. Includes U.S. maps showing location of CR/EO programs and areas with or without proximity to programs.
Author(s): Kathryn H. Schmitz, Kathryn Demanelis, Mary E. Crisafio, et al.
Citation: Cancer: An International Interdisciplinary Journal of the American Cancer Society, 131(1)
Date: 01/2025
view details
2024 Louisiana Health Report Card
Provides vital statistics and other health data by parish for Louisiana. Covers disease incidence, behavioral health, and mortality, with highlighted topics including cancer, teen pregnancy, low birthweight babies, infectious disease, opioid use, deaths due to suicide and violence, and more.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Department of Health
view details
Oklahoma Breast & Cervical Cancer Annual Addendum: State Fiscal Year 2025
Discusses programs and initiatives supporting breast and cervical cancer prevention and treatment in Oklahoma. Includes color-coded maps showing ranges of breast and cervical cancer incidence and mortality in Oklahoma counties.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State Department of Health
view details
New Mexico Health Care Authority Data Book 2025
2025 data book providing dashboards on food security, health and wellness, housing, healthcare access and affordability, health insurance coverage, Medicaid eligibility, and more for the state of New Mexico. Includes county-level data on a variety of demographic, economic, and health topics.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Health Care Authority
view details
State of Georgia House of Representatives Study Committee on Cancer Care Access: Final Report
Reports on cancer care access in Georgia, providing an overview of testimony from organizations, agencies, and providers involved with cancer care and offering policy recommendations to improve access to quality cancer care and improve the supply of the oncology care workforce in the state. Discusses rural areas throughout.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organizations: Georgia House Committee on Cancer Care Access, State of Georgia House of Representatives
view details
America's Health Rankings 2025 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 mortality, severe morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women at the national level, including a spotlight on chronic conditions among women in rural communities on document page 3. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
view details
The State of Cancer in Florida: CCRAB Annual Report 2025
Reports cancer data and trends for the state of Florida. Highlights rural-urban disparities in cancer incidence and mortality, and discusses the importance of increasing access to screening and treatment in rural and underserved communities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Florida Cancer Council & Research Advisory Council (CCRAB)
view details
The Lived Experiences and Unmet Needs of Prostate and Colorectal Male Cancer Survivors in Rural Virginia: A Qualitative Study
Analyzes unmet needs and lived experiences of 24 male cancer survivors living in rural Virginia. Utilizes focus group feedback to discuss themes such as coping with health problems, quality of and access to healthcare, navigating survivorship, and cancer prevention advocacy.
Author(s): Fariha Tariq, Alexander R. Lucas, Sherrick Hill, Malik Philips, Vanessa B. Sheppard
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
view details