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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Children and youth

Medicaid's Role in Small Towns and Rural Areas
Discusses the roles Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) play in providing health coverage to residents of small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) on the percentage of children, non-elderly adults, and older adults covered by Medicaid and CHIP in 2023, and compares the share of Medicaid coverage of these groups by metro areas and small town/rural residence. Describes Medicaid coverage of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) in metro and non-metro areas. Includes lists of the top 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of children, non-elderly adults, and older adults covered by Medicaid.
Author(s): Joan Alker, Aubrianna Osorio, Edwin Park
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative
Describes accomplishments of the Health Resources and Services Administration's initiative to strengthen, expand, and accelerate work to address maternal mortality and maternal health disparities, especially in underserved areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Child Maltreatment 2023
Reports on rates of children receiving child protective services, children who died of abuse and neglect, and children who are victims of maltreatment, using data collected from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS). Offers information on availability and access to child protective services at the state and territory level, including how some counties respond to child abuse and neglect screenings, referrals, and the provision of services. Includes data broken down by race/ethnicity as well as discussions specific to rural and tribal areas.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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Healthcare Insurance Coverage, Affordability of Coverage, and Access to Care, 2021-2024
Provides an overview of health insurance access between 2021 and 2024. Provides data on the national uninsured rate, enrollment in new insurance plans after a consumer's Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) disenrollment, and indicators on healthcare access and affordability for both children and adults. Includes select data on rural consumers, such as projected savings and uninsurance rates.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Association Between Rurality and Race/Ethnicity and Pediatric Cancer Early Mortality: A Population-Based Cohort Study Using SEER Data from 2000 to 2021
Examines the relationship among early mortality in pediatric cancer patients, rurality, and race/ethnicity. Utilizes 2000-2021 SEER Research Plus Limited-Field data to examine 138,648 patients and the factors contributing to mortality within 12 months of diagnosis. Discusses health disparities for rural and non-White populations.
Author(s): Kiersten Preuss, Emma Hymel, Melissa Acquazzino, Shinobu Watanabe-Galloway
Citation: Pediatric Blood & Cancer, 73(3), e31520
Date: 01/2025
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Nevada Rural Children's Mental Health Consortium Annual Report, 2025
Reports on children's mental health and access to care in rural Nevada. Includes a progress report on the Rural Children's Mental Health Consortium strategic plan and activities.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Nevada Rural Children's Mental Health Consortium
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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
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Mississippi State Department of Health 2025 Annual Report
Offers overview of public health indicators for residents of the state of Mississippi including mortality, teen birth rates, various health conditions, and vaccination. Discusses regulation and legislative changes, pharmaceutical programs, lab services, public health outreach, rural health and primary care, Health Professional Shortage Areas, and administrative updates.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Mississippi State Department of Health
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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
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Why Rural Matters 2025: People, Place, and Possibility
Describes educational, social, and health outcomes associated with rural schools. Includes state-level data, rankings, and comparisons to the U.S. as a whole.
Additional links: Communications Toolkit, Executive Summary, Maps, State-by-State Results
Author(s): Daniel Showalter, Sara L. Hartman, Karen Eppley, Jerry Johnson, Bob Klein
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Education Association
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