Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Frontier and remote areas
Voices From the Field: Insights on Coordinating Health and Community Care in Rural, Frontier and Tribal Communities
Summarizes themes from 44 interviews with 24 rural and tribal community-based organizations highlighting benefits, challenges, and needs for coordination between health and social care through community care hubs. Discusses rural resiliency and specific concerns for tribal communities.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Aging and Disability Business Institute, Center of Excellence to Align Health and Social Care, USAging
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Summarizes themes from 44 interviews with 24 rural and tribal community-based organizations highlighting benefits, challenges, and needs for coordination between health and social care through community care hubs. Discusses rural resiliency and specific concerns for tribal communities.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Aging and Disability Business Institute, Center of Excellence to Align Health and Social Care, USAging
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Oregon Rural Hospitals
County-level map of Oregon identifying the location of rural hospitals including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), non-CAHs, and Sole Community Hospitals.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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County-level map of Oregon identifying the location of rural hospitals including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), non-CAHs, and Sole Community Hospitals.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Oregon Office of Rural Health
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A Chartbook on the Characteristics and Needs of Frontier Critical Access Hospitals
Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Reaching the Last Mile: Strategies for Serving Ultra-Rural Populations
A recorded webinar that discusses barriers when serving meals to ultra-rural and remote populations and provides related insights, strategies, and collaborative approaches to reach communities. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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A recorded webinar that discusses barriers when serving meals to ultra-rural and remote populations and provides related insights, strategies, and collaborative approaches to reach communities. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Slide Deck
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: No Kid Hungry
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Understanding Risk Factors for Otitis Media in Rural Alaska Native Children: A Cohort Study
Presents a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Bering Strait region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Rolvix H Patterson, Susan D Emmett, Kelli L Scheinman, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 417-428
Date: 03/2026
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Presents a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Bering Strait region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Rolvix H Patterson, Susan D Emmett, Kelli L Scheinman, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 417-428
Date: 03/2026
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Assessing Environmental, Nutritional, and Genetic Factors for Otitis Media-Related Hearing Loss in Rural Alaska Native Children
Highlights a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Norton Sound region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Samantha Kleindienst Robler, Alyssa Platt, Rolvix H Patterson, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 404-416
Date: 03/2026
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Highlights a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Norton Sound region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Samantha Kleindienst Robler, Alyssa Platt, Rolvix H Patterson, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 404-416
Date: 03/2026
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Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 1 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level one ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 1 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level one ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 1 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 4 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level four ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 4 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level four ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 4 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 2 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level two ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 2 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level two ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 2 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 3 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level three ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 3 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level three ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 3 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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