Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health conditions
Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Acute Stroke Capabilities in California: Association with Rurality and Telestroke Access
Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
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Examines disparities in presentation to emergency departments (EDs) with or without acute stroke capability among patients with acute stroke by race and ethnicity, and variations in these associations by patient rurality and ED telestroke status, using 2021 NEDI-California and NEDI-USA survey data.
Author(s): Kori S. Zachrison, Renee Y. Hsia, Krislyn M. Boggs, et al.
Citation: Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases, 35(4), 108607
Date: 04/2026
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Mapping Spatial and Social Inequities of Long COVID Across the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines spatiotemporal variables and social determinants as correlated with the Omicron variant and long COVID health risk. Analyzes 5,652,474 COVID-19 cases and 41,694 long COVID cases according to year, location, U.S. region, risk level of county, and social determinants, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zhetao Chen, Bingnan Lib, Yewen Chen, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 56, 101401
Date: 04/2026
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Examines spatiotemporal variables and social determinants as correlated with the Omicron variant and long COVID health risk. Analyzes 5,652,474 COVID-19 cases and 41,694 long COVID cases according to year, location, U.S. region, risk level of county, and social determinants, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zhetao Chen, Bingnan Lib, Yewen Chen, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 56, 101401
Date: 04/2026
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What to Know About Medicare Coverage of Telehealth
Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2027, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, program integrity, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Discusses telehealth use by Medicare patients before, during, and after declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Notes temporary telehealth provisions set to expire December 31, 2027, telehealth provisions made permanent, and trends in use since 2020. Includes rural and urban comparisons of telehealth use since 2020. Discusses payment models for Medicare and Medicare Advantage, current policies related to telehealth, program integrity, and the cost of coverage through Medicare.
Author(s): Alex Cottrill, Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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HEARTLAND Protocol: A Tiered Clinical Implementation Toolkit for Primary Care-Led Heart Failure Management in Rural and Resource-Limited Settings
Presents a study on the efficacy of the HEARTLAND (Heart failure Evidence-based Access in Rural Treatment, Linking Advanced Network Delivery) protocol at managing heart failure (HF) in rural and low-resourced healthcare settings. Highlights the protocol's structure and the process by which it evaluates patient HF risk, establishes monitoring, and ensures continuity of care.
Author(s): Vicky Muller Ferreira
Citation: Cureus, 18(3), e104817
Date: 03/2026
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Presents a study on the efficacy of the HEARTLAND (Heart failure Evidence-based Access in Rural Treatment, Linking Advanced Network Delivery) protocol at managing heart failure (HF) in rural and low-resourced healthcare settings. Highlights the protocol's structure and the process by which it evaluates patient HF risk, establishes monitoring, and ensures continuity of care.
Author(s): Vicky Muller Ferreira
Citation: Cureus, 18(3), e104817
Date: 03/2026
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Food is Medicine Guide Book: A Resource for Expanding Produce Prescription and Voucher Incentive Programs in Illinois
Provides guidance on Food is Medicine initiatives such as produce prescription (PRx) and voucher incentive programs that use nutritious food to help manage chronic disease. Includes best practices and case studies with considerations for implementation in rural areas.
Author(s): Kathryn Bernstein, Courtney Clay, Trevor Johnson, etc.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Public Health Institute
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Provides guidance on Food is Medicine initiatives such as produce prescription (PRx) and voucher incentive programs that use nutritious food to help manage chronic disease. Includes best practices and case studies with considerations for implementation in rural areas.
Author(s): Kathryn Bernstein, Courtney Clay, Trevor Johnson, etc.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Public Health Institute
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The Weight of Our Children: New Mexico Childhood Obesity 2025 Update
Provides an overview of childhood obesity in New Mexico in 2025, including demographic breakdowns, and highlights state programs addressing obesity in low-income, rural, and tribal communities. Provides strategies to promote healthy lifestyles and includes a state map of Healthy Kids Healthy Communities (HKHC) counties.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Provides an overview of childhood obesity in New Mexico in 2025, including demographic breakdowns, and highlights state programs addressing obesity in low-income, rural, and tribal communities. Provides strategies to promote healthy lifestyles and includes a state map of Healthy Kids Healthy Communities (HKHC) counties.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: New Mexico Department of Health
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Telehealth Uptake and Rural-Urban and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Postpartum Care Access Among Medicaid Beneficiaries in South Carolina, 2018–2022
Compares how postpartum care attendance and timeliness varied by race and ethnicity, rural or urban dwelling, and exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these associations varied by level of telehealth uptake, using 2019-2022 South Carolina Medicaid claims and enrollment data.
Author(s): Anirban Chatterjee, Xuzhuo Zhao, Jihong Liu, et al.
Citation: Medical Care, 64(5), 298-309
Date: 03/2026
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Compares how postpartum care attendance and timeliness varied by race and ethnicity, rural or urban dwelling, and exposure to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these associations varied by level of telehealth uptake, using 2019-2022 South Carolina Medicaid claims and enrollment data.
Author(s): Anirban Chatterjee, Xuzhuo Zhao, Jihong Liu, et al.
Citation: Medical Care, 64(5), 298-309
Date: 03/2026
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NSDUH Short Report: Substance Use Disorder and Major Depressive Episode among Females
Report explores rates of substance use disorder (SUD) and major depressive episode (MDE) among women from 2022-2024. Breaks down data by a number of factors, such as demographic factors, adolescents versus adults, SUD/MDE severity, and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Report explores rates of substance use disorder (SUD) and major depressive episode (MDE) among women from 2022-2024. Breaks down data by a number of factors, such as demographic factors, adolescents versus adults, SUD/MDE severity, and rurality, among other measures.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Who is Benefiting from the Dramatic Decline in U.S. Cancer Mortality? Place-Based Evidence of Disparities in Rates of Improvement
Analyzes how improvements in cancer mortality between 1991 and 2019 varied by geography, using CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons by U.S. region, income level, and rurality at the county level.
Author(s): Arthur G. Cosby, Viswadeep Lebakula, Karissa Bergene, et al.
Citation: British Journal of Cancer
Date: 03/2026
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Analyzes how improvements in cancer mortality between 1991 and 2019 varied by geography, using CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons by U.S. region, income level, and rurality at the county level.
Author(s): Arthur G. Cosby, Viswadeep Lebakula, Karissa Bergene, et al.
Citation: British Journal of Cancer
Date: 03/2026
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Environmental Risk Factors and Iowa's Cancer Crisis: A 2026 Report
Reports on environmental factors influencing the high incidence of cancer in Iowa, including detailed discussion on cancer risks related to pesticides, PFAS, nitrates, radon, and other topics related to agricultural and industrial safety. Provides recommendations for strengthening environmental health in agricultural policy.
Author(s): Colleen Fowle, Sarah Howe, Kerri Johannsen, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Environmental Council, The Harkin Institute
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Reports on environmental factors influencing the high incidence of cancer in Iowa, including detailed discussion on cancer risks related to pesticides, PFAS, nitrates, radon, and other topics related to agricultural and industrial safety. Provides recommendations for strengthening environmental health in agricultural policy.
Author(s): Colleen Fowle, Sarah Howe, Kerri Johannsen, et al.
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Iowa Environmental Council, The Harkin Institute
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