Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Children and youth
Building a Rural, Coalition-Based Approach to Youth Substance Use Prevention: The Drug Free Dickson Coalition Model
Presents a rural coalition-based initiative to address youth substance use in Dickson County, Tennessee. Details a coalition, including local government, schools, healthcare providers, faith-based institutions, and law enforcement, among others, that works to engage youth across the county using evidence-based strategies.
Author(s): Karrie R. Thompson
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S185-S188
Date: 11/2026
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Presents a rural coalition-based initiative to address youth substance use in Dickson County, Tennessee. Details a coalition, including local government, schools, healthcare providers, faith-based institutions, and law enforcement, among others, that works to engage youth across the county using evidence-based strategies.
Author(s): Karrie R. Thompson
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S185-S188
Date: 11/2026
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Developing Community Partnerships and Authentically Engaging Youth to Prevent Substance Use: Successes from the Pyramid Coalition in Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Explores the Pyramid Coalition, a Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program initiative, in rural Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Discusses the coalition's work in preventing youth substance use and highlights best practices for engaging youth in rural and frontier communities.
Author(s): Christina Johnson, Joni Kerr
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S181-S184
Date: 11/2026
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Explores the Pyramid Coalition, a Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program initiative, in rural Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Discusses the coalition's work in preventing youth substance use and highlights best practices for engaging youth in rural and frontier communities.
Author(s): Christina Johnson, Joni Kerr
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S181-S184
Date: 11/2026
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The Utility of Psychological Capital Theory in Rural Adolescent Mental Health Research
Explores the psychological capital (PsyCap), or one's sense of hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, and mental health among rural adolescents. Bases findings on a survey of 59 adolescents in rural Texas. Discusses the utility of PsyCap as a model for evaluating rural adolescent mental health.
Author(s): Angela J. Preston, Lynn Rew, Cara C. Young, John Lowe, Huaxin Song
Citation: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31(4), 1374-1388
Date: 10/2026
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Explores the psychological capital (PsyCap), or one's sense of hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, and mental health among rural adolescents. Bases findings on a survey of 59 adolescents in rural Texas. Discusses the utility of PsyCap as a model for evaluating rural adolescent mental health.
Author(s): Angela J. Preston, Lynn Rew, Cara C. Young, John Lowe, Huaxin Song
Citation: Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 31(4), 1374-1388
Date: 10/2026
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School Nurses' Perceptions of Mental Health Responsibilities Within School Nursing Practice: A Q Methodology Study
Examines the perspectives of school nurses on addressing mental health needs of students in rural schools. Analyzes feedback from 70 school nurses working in eastern North Carolina on issues such as nursing responsibilities, mental health, suicide risk, crisis response, and more.
Author(s): Travis E. Lewis, Deby E. Tyndall, Mitzi C. Pestaner
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(10), e70242
Date: 10/2026
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Examines the perspectives of school nurses on addressing mental health needs of students in rural schools. Analyzes feedback from 70 school nurses working in eastern North Carolina on issues such as nursing responsibilities, mental health, suicide risk, crisis response, and more.
Author(s): Travis E. Lewis, Deby E. Tyndall, Mitzi C. Pestaner
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(10), e70242
Date: 10/2026
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Place-Based Risk: Examining Relationships Between Adolescent Perceptions of Community Risk Factors and Adolescent Substance Use Across Geographic Contexts
Examines adolescent perceptions of structural and social factors that influence their substance use in rural and urban communities. Utilizes 2019 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey data from 9,819 adolescents to analyze alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and illicit drug use according to sociodemographics, cultural norms, law enforcement response to substance use, availability of drugs, and urban, suburban, town, or rural location.
Author(s): Melissa Pearman Fenton, Sarah D. Lynne, Josie L. Bryan, Catherine Woodstock Striley, Larry F. Forthun
Citation: American Journal of Community Psychology, 78(1-2), 245-262
Date: 09/2026
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Examines adolescent perceptions of structural and social factors that influence their substance use in rural and urban communities. Utilizes 2019 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey data from 9,819 adolescents to analyze alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and illicit drug use according to sociodemographics, cultural norms, law enforcement response to substance use, availability of drugs, and urban, suburban, town, or rural location.
Author(s): Melissa Pearman Fenton, Sarah D. Lynne, Josie L. Bryan, Catherine Woodstock Striley, Larry F. Forthun
Citation: American Journal of Community Psychology, 78(1-2), 245-262
Date: 09/2026
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An Academic-Community Partnership Model for the Virtual Dental Home
Describes the University of California San Francisco (UCSF)-Smile Keepers virtual dental home program, a collaboration which operated from 2021-2025 and offered school-based teledentistry services. Explores ways in which similar programs can help close access gaps for children in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Manwa Hegde, Katie Conklin, Rachel Howard, et al.
Citation: Journal of the California Dental Association, 54(1), 2719416
Date: 09/2026
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Describes the University of California San Francisco (UCSF)-Smile Keepers virtual dental home program, a collaboration which operated from 2021-2025 and offered school-based teledentistry services. Explores ways in which similar programs can help close access gaps for children in rural and underserved areas.
Author(s): Manwa Hegde, Katie Conklin, Rachel Howard, et al.
Citation: Journal of the California Dental Association, 54(1), 2719416
Date: 09/2026
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The State of Childhood in Rural America: Well-Being, Challenges and Opportunities
Reports on the well-being of rural children, including their educational performance, poverty, household spending, and food insecurity. Discusses how state and federal policy can support the well-being of rural children and families.
Author(s): Anita I. Drever, Beth A. Eagleton, Denali A. Drake, Jonathan J. Sury
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Save the Children
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Reports on the well-being of rural children, including their educational performance, poverty, household spending, and food insecurity. Discusses how state and federal policy can support the well-being of rural children and families.
Author(s): Anita I. Drever, Beth A. Eagleton, Denali A. Drake, Jonathan J. Sury
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Save the Children
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WIC & FMNP Modernization Evaluation Annual Report - 2025
Examines Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) activities and experiences from September 2025 to February 2026. Focuses on modernization of technology, service delivery, and the shopping experience, improving access to farmers' markets, developing workforce, and conducting effective outreach and enrollment. Includes commentary on program strategies specific to rural areas.
Author(s): H. Zaveri, K. Bodenlos, R. Brooks, et al.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration
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Examines Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) activities and experiences from September 2025 to February 2026. Focuses on modernization of technology, service delivery, and the shopping experience, improving access to farmers' markets, developing workforce, and conducting effective outreach and enrollment. Includes commentary on program strategies specific to rural areas.
Author(s): H. Zaveri, K. Bodenlos, R. Brooks, et al.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Food and Nutrition Administration
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Associations of Rurality, Child Opportunity, and Distance with Use of Pediatric Asthma Specialists
Examines the relationship among rurality, child opportunity index (COI), and drive time to a pediatric asthma specialist. Utilizes 2015-2021 Maine Health Data Organization All-Payer Claims Data to analyze 12,014 children with a pediatric asthma referral according to patient demographics and health status, drive time to a specialist, COI, and metro, micro, small town, or isolated small rural location. Discusses disparities in access to asthma specialty care for rural children.
Author(s): James Bohnhoff, Anya Cutler, Elizabeth A. Jacobs, Wanda Phipatanakul, Yvonne Jonk
Citation: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 158(3), 751-757
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the relationship among rurality, child opportunity index (COI), and drive time to a pediatric asthma specialist. Utilizes 2015-2021 Maine Health Data Organization All-Payer Claims Data to analyze 12,014 children with a pediatric asthma referral according to patient demographics and health status, drive time to a specialist, COI, and metro, micro, small town, or isolated small rural location. Discusses disparities in access to asthma specialty care for rural children.
Author(s): James Bohnhoff, Anya Cutler, Elizabeth A. Jacobs, Wanda Phipatanakul, Yvonne Jonk
Citation: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 158(3), 751-757
Date: 09/2026
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Vaccination Coverage Among Adolescents Aged 13–17 Years — National Immunization Survey-Teen, United States, 2025
Reports on vaccination coverage among U.S. adolescents for ages 13 through 17. Includes nonmetro data on vaccination for the following vaccines: Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis), MenACWY (quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate), and HPV (human papillomavirus). Discusses potential reasons for differences in vaccination coverage for metro versus nonmetro locations.
Author(s): Cassandra Pingali, David Yankey, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(34), 530-538
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on vaccination coverage among U.S. adolescents for ages 13 through 17. Includes nonmetro data on vaccination for the following vaccines: Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis), MenACWY (quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate), and HPV (human papillomavirus). Discusses potential reasons for differences in vaccination coverage for metro versus nonmetro locations.
Author(s): Cassandra Pingali, David Yankey, Laurie D. Elam-Evans, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(34), 530-538
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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