Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Community and economic development
The Impact of Rural Hospital Closures and Mergers on Health System Ecologies: A Scoping Review
Examines 46 studies on rural hospital closures and mergers between 2010 to 2023, with a focus on understanding health system impacts, finances, workforce, utilization, access to facilities and services, and community and economic well-being.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Janice Probst, Kanika Sarwal, Suhaib Riaz, Agnes Grudniewicz
Citation: Medical Care Research and Review, 82(5)
Date: 07/2025
view details
Examines 46 studies on rural hospital closures and mergers between 2010 to 2023, with a focus on understanding health system impacts, finances, workforce, utilization, access to facilities and services, and community and economic well-being.
Author(s): Alison Coates, Janice Probst, Kanika Sarwal, Suhaib Riaz, Agnes Grudniewicz
Citation: Medical Care Research and Review, 82(5)
Date: 07/2025
view details
New Design Opens the Door to Improved Patient Care at Midwest Medical Center
Profiles the Midwest Medical Center, a hospital in rural Illinois. Discusses the building's remodel and collaboration with the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities program.
Author(s): Andrea Imel
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
view details
Profiles the Midwest Medical Center, a hospital in rural Illinois. Discusses the building's remodel and collaboration with the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities program.
Author(s): Andrea Imel
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
view details
Rural Veterans' Thoughts on High Suicide Rates in Their Communities—and on What to Do About It
Highlights a study on the perspective of rural veterans on methods for suicide prevention in their communities. Bases findings on a survey of veterans in rural counties in Oregon and explores perceptions around socioeconomic resources, person-centered healthcare, and having a strong sense of community.
Author(s): Lauren M. Denneson
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development
view details
Highlights a study on the perspective of rural veterans on methods for suicide prevention in their communities. Bases findings on a survey of veterans in rural counties in Oregon and explores perceptions around socioeconomic resources, person-centered healthcare, and having a strong sense of community.
Author(s): Lauren M. Denneson
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development
view details
Looking Back on the Origins of the NMTC New Markets Tax Credit Coalition
Provides an overview of The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Coalition projects and investments from the 1980s to present day. Includes stories related to rural job creation and rural economic development.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: The New Markets Tax Credit Coalition
view details
Provides an overview of The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Coalition projects and investments from the 1980s to present day. Includes stories related to rural job creation and rural economic development.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: The New Markets Tax Credit Coalition
view details
Impact of Hospital Closure on Rural Communities: A Qualitative Study
Examines the impact of rural hospital closure on access to care, and identifies ways that rural communities adapt to hospital closures. Utilizes interview excerpts from 25 informants examining themes related to pre-closure conditions, impacts on communities and health systems, and actions by communities, states, health systems, and emergency medical services.
Author(s): Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Mina Shrestha, Fred Ullrich, Whitney Zahnd, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Examines the impact of rural hospital closure on access to care, and identifies ways that rural communities adapt to hospital closures. Utilizes interview excerpts from 25 informants examining themes related to pre-closure conditions, impacts on communities and health systems, and actions by communities, states, health systems, and emergency medical services.
Author(s): Redwan Bin Abdul Baten, Mina Shrestha, Fred Ullrich, Whitney Zahnd, Keith J. Mueller
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
view details
Indian Health Service's Controls Over Sanitation Facilities Construction Program Projects Funded Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Could Be Improved
Explores Indian Health Service (IHS) internal controls regarding identifying, recording, and tracking projects in the Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) and ensuring that Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds are limited to eligible project costs. Offers recommendations to IHS to improve controls for identifying and recording SFC Program projects funded under IIJA and for ensuring IIJA funds are used only for eligible project costs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Explores Indian Health Service (IHS) internal controls regarding identifying, recording, and tracking projects in the Sanitation Deficiency System (SDS) and ensuring that Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds are limited to eligible project costs. Offers recommendations to IHS to improve controls for identifying and recording SFC Program projects funded under IIJA and for ensuring IIJA funds are used only for eligible project costs.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Public Transit Supports for Food Access: 2021 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living (CBS HEAL)
Examines public transit availability and planning, presence of demand responsive transportation (DRT), and DRT services to food retail destinations in 1,956 municipalities. Provides data on demographic disparities in public transit access and planning, including rural-urban disparities. Discusses health impacts of access to healthy food and the importance of planning for adequate public transit.
Author(s): Brianna L. Smarsh, Young Shin Park, Seung Hee Lee, Diane M. Harris, Heidi M. Blanck
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240458
Date: 05/2025
view details
Examines public transit availability and planning, presence of demand responsive transportation (DRT), and DRT services to food retail destinations in 1,956 municipalities. Provides data on demographic disparities in public transit access and planning, including rural-urban disparities. Discusses health impacts of access to healthy food and the importance of planning for adequate public transit.
Author(s): Brianna L. Smarsh, Young Shin Park, Seung Hee Lee, Diane M. Harris, Heidi M. Blanck
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 22, 240458
Date: 05/2025
view details
County Typology Codes
Presents county-level typology codes, comprising Economic Typology Codes based on the industrial composition of nonmetropolitan counties and Demographic Typology Codes based on demographic characteristics, such as employment, population, poverty, and others. Classifies all counties in the 50 U.S. States and Washington, D.C. for which data are available.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Presents county-level typology codes, comprising Economic Typology Codes based on the industrial composition of nonmetropolitan counties and Demographic Typology Codes based on demographic characteristics, such as employment, population, poverty, and others. Classifies all counties in the 50 U.S. States and Washington, D.C. for which data are available.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
view details
Farm Bill Primer: Rural Development Title
Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
Provides an overview of the rural development provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill, including provisions related to rural broadband, water and waste disposal, and business creation and economic development. Offers considerations Congress may consider in the 2025 reauthorization of the Farm Bill related to the ReConnect Program and rural health challenges.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
view details
From Cost to Community Impact: Telehealth's Social ROI in Rural Communities
Webinar recording discussing telehealth's impact on rural communities via the concept of social return on investment (SROI), which measures social, environmental, and economic value created by investments and other actions. Defines SROI as a concept and describes methods for SROI assessment. Transcript available below the video description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Yael Harris, Jason C. Goldwater
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Heartland Telehealth Resource Center
view details
Webinar recording discussing telehealth's impact on rural communities via the concept of social return on investment (SROI), which measures social, environmental, and economic value created by investments and other actions. Defines SROI as a concept and describes methods for SROI assessment. Transcript available below the video description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Yael Harris, Jason C. Goldwater
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Heartland Telehealth Resource Center
view details