Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Elderly population
County-Level Differences in Health Professional Shortage Areas by Rurality, Age, and Disability Status
Examines differences in healthcare access among working-age and older adults, by rurality and disability status. Features statistics including percents of counties qualifying as primary care, mental health, or dental Heath Professional Shortage Areas, with breakdowns by disability quartile and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Andrew Abram, Alexis Swendener, Mariana Tuttle, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Examines differences in healthcare access among working-age and older adults, by rurality and disability status. Features statistics including percents of counties qualifying as primary care, mental health, or dental Heath Professional Shortage Areas, with breakdowns by disability quartile and rural or urban location.
Author(s): Andrew Abram, Alexis Swendener, Mariana Tuttle, Katie Rydberg, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Is Medicare Home Health Care Utilization Substituting for Long-Term Care? Evidence From Dual Eligible Beneficiaries
Examines the relationship between Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) and Medicare community-initiated home health care (CIHHC). Utilizes 2016-2019 national Medicare and Medicaid claims data of dually enrolled older adults and analyzes the effects of Medicaid HCBS use on the utilization of Medicare CIHHC. Includes comparisons of HCBS users and non-HCBS users with breakdowns by demographics and rural versus urban county classification.
Author(s): Mingyu Qi, Rachel M. Werner, Megan Huisingh-Scheetz, R. Tamara Konetzka
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(2), e70109
Date: 04/2026
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Examines the relationship between Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) and Medicare community-initiated home health care (CIHHC). Utilizes 2016-2019 national Medicare and Medicaid claims data of dually enrolled older adults and analyzes the effects of Medicaid HCBS use on the utilization of Medicare CIHHC. Includes comparisons of HCBS users and non-HCBS users with breakdowns by demographics and rural versus urban county classification.
Author(s): Mingyu Qi, Rachel M. Werner, Megan Huisingh-Scheetz, R. Tamara Konetzka
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(2), e70109
Date: 04/2026
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Opportunities to Transform Care for Rural Older Adults: Using the Rural Health Transformation Program to Create Sustainable, Age-Friendly Healthcare
Recording of a March 2026 webinar discussing opportunities for including rural age-friendly care in Rural Health Transformation Program work. Includes information on PACE and community health workers.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: John A. Hartford Foundation
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Recording of a March 2026 webinar discussing opportunities for including rural age-friendly care in Rural Health Transformation Program work. Includes information on PACE and community health workers.
Additional links: Webinar Slides
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: John A. Hartford Foundation
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Health Insurance Coverage in Rural and Urban Missouri: Update
Reports on 2024 health insurance coverage in Missouri, comparing both rural and urban residents within the state and against national averages. Includes analysis of health insurance type, by age groups, and changes since 2023.
Author(s): Sarah A. Eisenstein, Timothy D. McBride
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Washington University in St. Louis Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research
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Reports on 2024 health insurance coverage in Missouri, comparing both rural and urban residents within the state and against national averages. Includes analysis of health insurance type, by age groups, and changes since 2023.
Author(s): Sarah A. Eisenstein, Timothy D. McBride
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Washington University in St. Louis Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research
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Connected Care for Older Adults: A Pilot Intervention Engaging Community Health Workers to Advance Age-Friendly Care in Rural Oregon
Describes a pilot program implementing the 4Ms of the Age-Friendly Health System framework by embedding community health workers in rural primary care teams for 388 older adult medically frail patients. Assesses patient and clinician satisfaction and associated healthcare utilization.
Author(s): Bryanna De Lima, Lindsay Miller, Elizabeth Foster, Jodi Ready, Elizabeth Eckstrom
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 74(3), 705-711
Date: 03/2026
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Describes a pilot program implementing the 4Ms of the Age-Friendly Health System framework by embedding community health workers in rural primary care teams for 388 older adult medically frail patients. Assesses patient and clinician satisfaction and associated healthcare utilization.
Author(s): Bryanna De Lima, Lindsay Miller, Elizabeth Foster, Jodi Ready, Elizabeth Eckstrom
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 74(3), 705-711
Date: 03/2026
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Examination of Driver License Renewal Policies and Older Driver Crash and Injury Rates by Rurality
Examines the impact of driver license renewal policies on older adult motor-vehicle safety. Utilizes 2000-2019 crash data and license renewal policies to analyze crash and driver injury rates according to driver age, state, injury severity, license renewal restrictiveness, rural versus urban residence, and more.
Author(s): Cara J. Hamann, Jonathan A. Davis, Gilsu Pae, et al.
Citation: Journal of Safety Research, 96, 357-362
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the impact of driver license renewal policies on older adult motor-vehicle safety. Utilizes 2000-2019 crash data and license renewal policies to analyze crash and driver injury rates according to driver age, state, injury severity, license renewal restrictiveness, rural versus urban residence, and more.
Author(s): Cara J. Hamann, Jonathan A. Davis, Gilsu Pae, et al.
Citation: Journal of Safety Research, 96, 357-362
Date: 02/2026
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Willingness of Older Adults to Travel for Medical Care
Presents results from a survey of 2650 adults aged 65 years and older on their willingness to travel for primary care, specialty care, and one-time diagnostic appointments. See Table 3 for metro-nonmetro data comparisons, among other demographic data breakdowns.
Author(s): Jeremy Burke, Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Wei Ye, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2560280
Date: 02/2026
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Presents results from a survey of 2650 adults aged 65 years and older on their willingness to travel for primary care, specialty care, and one-time diagnostic appointments. See Table 3 for metro-nonmetro data comparisons, among other demographic data breakdowns.
Author(s): Jeremy Burke, Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Wei Ye, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2560280
Date: 02/2026
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COVID-19 Antiviral Prescription Receipt Among Outpatients Aged ≥65 Years — United States, June 1, 2023–September 30, 2025
Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Snapshot of Rural Health in Colorado, 2026
Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Rural-Urban Differences in Homebound Status by Health and Functional Limitations
Results of a study describing how rates of being homebound differ between rural and urban older adults by specific health indicators. Features statistics with breakdowns by chronic condition and rural or urban residence.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Dionne Bailey, Megan Lahr, Katie Rydberg
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Results of a study describing how rates of being homebound differ between rural and urban older adults by specific health indicators. Features statistics with breakdowns by chronic condition and rural or urban residence.
Author(s): Carrie Henning-Smith, Dionne Bailey, Megan Lahr, Katie Rydberg
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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