Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Culture
Redefining Rurality: Adopting an Identity-Based and Community-Engaged Approach to Defining Rural Cancer Disparities
Discusses how rural definitions influence cancer disparities research via an examination of perspectives originally presented at the Transforming Community and Rural Healthcare 2024 conference. Details limitations and inconsistencies in current rural definitions and highlights the value of community-based participatory research and identity-based approaches to rurality.
Author(s): Trevor Kauer, Courtny L. Franco, Dominique D. Munroe, et al.
Citation: JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Date: 11/2025
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Discusses how rural definitions influence cancer disparities research via an examination of perspectives originally presented at the Transforming Community and Rural Healthcare 2024 conference. Details limitations and inconsistencies in current rural definitions and highlights the value of community-based participatory research and identity-based approaches to rurality.
Author(s): Trevor Kauer, Courtny L. Franco, Dominique D. Munroe, et al.
Citation: JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Date: 11/2025
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Community Health Workers and Rural Age-Friendly Care
Discusses the roles of community health workers (CHWs) in enhancing access, quality, and affordability of healthcare for older adults in rural areas. Describes challenges and opportunities for integrating CHWs into rural health systems. Offers policy and action recommendations to enable and support CHWs in improving healthcare for rural older adults.
Author(s): Elizabeth Eckstrom, Denise A. Hernadez, Lindsay Miller, Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Discusses the roles of community health workers (CHWs) in enhancing access, quality, and affordability of healthcare for older adults in rural areas. Describes challenges and opportunities for integrating CHWs into rural health systems. Offers policy and action recommendations to enable and support CHWs in improving healthcare for rural older adults.
Author(s): Elizabeth Eckstrom, Denise A. Hernadez, Lindsay Miller, Rebecca Yeboah
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Rural Health Association
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Examining the Relationship Between Health Literacy and the Primary Source of Information for Healthcare Services among Rural Residents
Analyzes relationships between health literacy and use of the internet, community newsletters, television, text-based communication, and other methods as a primary source for healthcare services information among 464 survey respondents living in Oklahoma's rural Tillman and Harmon counties. Discusses how health communication strategies can be tailored by information source for different rural groups to improve healthcare information sharing and access to services.
Author(s): Xuewei Chen, Tao Hu, Rose W. Njoroge, Ming Li, Gary Kreps
Citation: Health Behavior Research, 8(4)
Date: 10/2025
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Analyzes relationships between health literacy and use of the internet, community newsletters, television, text-based communication, and other methods as a primary source for healthcare services information among 464 survey respondents living in Oklahoma's rural Tillman and Harmon counties. Discusses how health communication strategies can be tailored by information source for different rural groups to improve healthcare information sharing and access to services.
Author(s): Xuewei Chen, Tao Hu, Rose W. Njoroge, Ming Li, Gary Kreps
Citation: Health Behavior Research, 8(4)
Date: 10/2025
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Supporting Individuals With Cognitive Impairment and Family Members in Rural Communities: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Digital Health Study
Study protocol for the Northern Arizona Memory Study (NAZMS), which will support dementia risk identification and promote understanding of cognitive health needs and supports via surveys and interviews of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) caregiver and care-receiver dyads in rural Northern Arizona. Details study design and implementation, and highlights the importance of culturally-tailored, accessible, and practical ADRD care supports and interventions for rural and tribal families in Arizona.
Author(s): Eric S. Cerino, Megan C. McCoy, Margarita Martinez, et al.
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14, e77958
Date: 10/2025
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Study protocol for the Northern Arizona Memory Study (NAZMS), which will support dementia risk identification and promote understanding of cognitive health needs and supports via surveys and interviews of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD) caregiver and care-receiver dyads in rural Northern Arizona. Details study design and implementation, and highlights the importance of culturally-tailored, accessible, and practical ADRD care supports and interventions for rural and tribal families in Arizona.
Author(s): Eric S. Cerino, Megan C. McCoy, Margarita Martinez, et al.
Citation: JMIR Research Protocols, 14, e77958
Date: 10/2025
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"No Rest for Me Tonight": A Social-Ecological Exploration of Insomnia in Rural Appalachian Women
Examines individual, social, and societal factors associated with insomnia among rural, Appalachian women in Kentucky, analyzing and providing excerpts from interviews with 46 women with self-reported insomnia symptoms. Details the high impact of insomnia on women in rural Appalachia and identifies cultural factors influencing insomnia prevalence and treatment.
Author(s): Mairead E. Moloney, Daniela C. Moga, Michael Grandner, Nancy Schoenberg
Citation: Sleep Health, 11(5), 717-723
Date: 10/2025
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Examines individual, social, and societal factors associated with insomnia among rural, Appalachian women in Kentucky, analyzing and providing excerpts from interviews with 46 women with self-reported insomnia symptoms. Details the high impact of insomnia on women in rural Appalachia and identifies cultural factors influencing insomnia prevalence and treatment.
Author(s): Mairead E. Moloney, Daniela C. Moga, Michael Grandner, Nancy Schoenberg
Citation: Sleep Health, 11(5), 717-723
Date: 10/2025
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Opportunities and Barriers to Engaging Caregivers in Firearm Suicide Prevention: Findings from Focus Groups with Caregivers of Veterans
Examines barriers and facilitators of conversations related to lethal means safety (LMS) among family members and significant others (caregivers) who live with or provide support to veterans, veterans at risk of suicide, and healthcare providers. Identifies themes from discussions with 32 caregivers, including discussion of rural attitudes toward firearm ownership and safety.
Author(s): Katherine MacWilliams, John Marmion, Dee Blascyk, et al.
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 12, 59
Date: 09/2025
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Examines barriers and facilitators of conversations related to lethal means safety (LMS) among family members and significant others (caregivers) who live with or provide support to veterans, veterans at risk of suicide, and healthcare providers. Identifies themes from discussions with 32 caregivers, including discussion of rural attitudes toward firearm ownership and safety.
Author(s): Katherine MacWilliams, John Marmion, Dee Blascyk, et al.
Citation: Injury Epidemiology, 12, 59
Date: 09/2025
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Evaluating the TVR-SET: Insights into Self-Employment from Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors
Discusses the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit (TVR-SET) that provides resources to assist American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people with disabilities in securing employment in their communities. Evaluates TVR-SET and provides key findings and impact on users.
Author(s): Catherine Ipsen, Luke Santore
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Discusses the Tribal Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Toolkit (TVR-SET) that provides resources to assist American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people with disabilities in securing employment in their communities. Evaluates TVR-SET and provides key findings and impact on users.
Author(s): Catherine Ipsen, Luke Santore
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Rural Life, Rural Healthcare, and Telehealth: An Interpretive Phenomenology Study
Explores themes related to healthcare access, telehealth use, and rural life contexts among 16 adults in rural and remote areas of California. Details interviewee perceptions of healthcare availability, geographic and environmental influences on healthcare access, benefits and drawbacks of telehealth use, and more.
Author(s): Meghan Rowe Ferrara, Susan A. Chapman
Citation: Rural Sociology, 90(3), e70016
Date: 08/2025
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Explores themes related to healthcare access, telehealth use, and rural life contexts among 16 adults in rural and remote areas of California. Details interviewee perceptions of healthcare availability, geographic and environmental influences on healthcare access, benefits and drawbacks of telehealth use, and more.
Author(s): Meghan Rowe Ferrara, Susan A. Chapman
Citation: Rural Sociology, 90(3), e70016
Date: 08/2025
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Six Strategies for Engaging Rural Communities in Teen Pregnancy Prevention Research and Programming
Tip sheet on communication strategies related to teen pregnancy and STI prevention for rural health researchers and practitioners. Highlights the value of humility, flexibility, and reciprocity in health communication and discusses examples and best practices from the Mousehouse Family Health Study sexual health intervention in Georgia.
Author(s): Asari Offiong, André Marria, Alyssa Scott, Elizabeth Cook, Jennifer Manlove
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
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Tip sheet on communication strategies related to teen pregnancy and STI prevention for rural health researchers and practitioners. Highlights the value of humility, flexibility, and reciprocity in health communication and discusses examples and best practices from the Mousehouse Family Health Study sexual health intervention in Georgia.
Author(s): Asari Offiong, André Marria, Alyssa Scott, Elizabeth Cook, Jennifer Manlove
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Child Trends
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Rural Patients' Experiences with Diagnosis and Treatment of Endometrial Cancer
Examines healthcare and treatment quality related to endometrial cancer (EC) in rural patients. Utilizes interview feedback from 22 patients and 1 caregiver in rural North Carolina on perceptions and knowledge of EC symptoms, social network influence, financial and transportation burdens, healthcare experiences, community perceptions, and more.
Author(s): Victoria M. Petermann, Brianna D. Taffe, Blen M. Biru, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70065
Date: 08/2025
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Examines healthcare and treatment quality related to endometrial cancer (EC) in rural patients. Utilizes interview feedback from 22 patients and 1 caregiver in rural North Carolina on perceptions and knowledge of EC symptoms, social network influence, financial and transportation burdens, healthcare experiences, community perceptions, and more.
Author(s): Victoria M. Petermann, Brianna D. Taffe, Blen M. Biru, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(3), e70065
Date: 08/2025
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