Rural Health
Resources by Topic: COVID-19

Lessons from the Pandemic: Relationship Between Patient Visits and Patient Length of Stay in California's Health System
Examines impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient utilization of California hospitals. Analyzes 2019-2021 COVID-19 cases, mortality, patient length of stay (LOS), and more in 56 California counties, with rural versus urban comparisons.
Author(s): David D. Cho, Yu Wang
Citation: Health Research Policy and Systems, 23, 11
Date: 01/2025
view details

Postpartum Health Care Use in Medicaid During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Implications for Extending Postpartum Coverage
Examines the impact of Medicaid continuous enrollment during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) on postpartum healthcare utilization. Utilizes 2018-2023 claims data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System (T-MSIS) to analyze a pre-PHE versus PHE cohort of women. Includes healthcare utilization data with breakdowns according to age, race/ethnicity, eligibility group (Medicaid or other form), rural versus urban location, maternity care desert status, severe maternal morbidity and/or chronic health condition, postpartum month, and state.
Author(s): Amelia Whitman, Anupama Warrier, Sarah Gordon, et al.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details

Cancer-Related Health Behaviors During the COVID 19 Pandemic in Geographically Diverse Samples Across the US
Examines cancer-related health behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic via a June 2020-March 2021 survey of 21,911 people conducted through eight cancer centers. Includes demographic data, including rural-urban comparisons, on changes in physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, smoking and tobacco use, and alcohol consumption.
Author(s): Breanna B. Greteman, Allison Cole, Mary E. Charlton, et al.
Citation: BMC Cancer, 25, 50
Date: 01/2025
view details

Household Food Sourcing Patterns and their Associations with Food Insecurity in Appalachian Ohio
Examines food insecurity and patterns in rural, Appalachian Ohio during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyzes data from 663 households at 4 separate time periods between July 2020 and April 2021 according to household demographics, food sourcing locations, and more.
Author(s): Kyle R. Busse, Kathryn I. Poppe, Qiang Wu, et al.
Citation: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 125(1), 54-68.e4
Date: 01/2025
view details

Epidemiological Model Can Forecast COVID-19 Outbreaks from Wastewater-Based Surveillance in Rural Communities
Examines the ability of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) to identify potential outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in rural communities. Analyzes wastewater in 6 communities and observes WBE's predictive accuracy to forecast SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks.
Author(s): Tyler Meadows, Erik R. Coats, Solana Narum, et al.
Citation: Water Research, 268
Date: 01/2025
view details

Cumulative Disadvantages in Nursing Home COVID-19 Infections and Deaths: Implications of Ownership Status and Location
Explores how nursing home characteristics are related to different health outcomes and susceptibility to momentary threats in the environment, such as nursing home and community COVID-19 infection rates and staffing shortages. Compares nursing home COVID-19 infection and mortality rates by facilities' profit status and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Sungjae Hong, Shannon T. Mejia
Citation: Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 137, 105918
Date: 2025
view details

Associations Between COVID-19 Therapies and Outcomes in Rural and Urban America: A Multisite, Temporal Analysis from the Alpha to Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Examines COVID-19 treatment, health outcomes, and mortality disparities in rural and urban areas of the United States. Analyzes 2021-2023 National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 3,018,646 patients to break down COVID-19 disparities according to patient demographics, vaccine status, comorbidities, U.S. Census region, and adverse inpatient events, as well as urban, urban-adjacent, or nonurban-adjacent location.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, William H. Beasley, Kimberly Murray, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12857
Date: 2025
view details

America at a Glance: Rural Transit Funding Through the COVID-19 Pandemic
Analyzes National Transit Database data from 2018 through 2022 to describe changes to rural transit funding related to COVID-19. Offers comparisons based on rural or urban status, region, and county.
Author(s): Andrew Myers, Luke Santore
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: Research and Training Center on Disability in Rural Communities, University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
view details

Arizona State Health Assessment, 2024
Reports on the health of people in Arizona, including population subgroups, social determinants of health, and priority health issues. Discusses health and access disparities in rural, tribal, and border areas. Includes county-level data.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: Arizona Department of Health Services
view details

Behavioral Health Service Use among Individuals Enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP Before and During The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Examines behavioral health (BH) service usage changes among Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE). Compares BH service initiation and treatment before the PHE (2018-2019) and during the PHE (2019-2020), with further data breakdowns by enrollee BH condition and demographic variables, including rural versus urban location.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details