Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities
Rural-Urban Disparities in Cardiovascular and Other Competing Risk of Death among Cancer Patients
Examines rural versus urban disparities in cardiovascular (CVD) death among cancer patients. Utilizes 1990-2017 data from 2,022,482 cancer patients and provides data breakdowns according to mortality, rural versus urban location, and cause of death. Discusses non-cancer and CVD death burden in cancer patients living in rural areas.
Author(s): Tianwang Guan, Jiaqi He, Liangjia Zeng, et al.
Citation: Journal of Advanced Research, 85, 725-736
Date: 07/2026
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Examines rural versus urban disparities in cardiovascular (CVD) death among cancer patients. Utilizes 1990-2017 data from 2,022,482 cancer patients and provides data breakdowns according to mortality, rural versus urban location, and cause of death. Discusses non-cancer and CVD death burden in cancer patients living in rural areas.
Author(s): Tianwang Guan, Jiaqi He, Liangjia Zeng, et al.
Citation: Journal of Advanced Research, 85, 725-736
Date: 07/2026
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Frequent Police Contact and Nonfatal Overdose among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Appalachia
Explores the relationship between non-fatal overdoses and frequent stop-and-search contact with the police for rural people who use drugs (PWUD) in Kentucky. Breaks down data by participant demographic measures, such as age, sex, housing stability, frequency of police stops, and drug use, among other measures.
Author(s): Javier A. Cepeda, Talia Loeb, Zach R. Salazar, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 284, 113188
Date: 07/2026
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Explores the relationship between non-fatal overdoses and frequent stop-and-search contact with the police for rural people who use drugs (PWUD) in Kentucky. Breaks down data by participant demographic measures, such as age, sex, housing stability, frequency of police stops, and drug use, among other measures.
Author(s): Javier A. Cepeda, Talia Loeb, Zach R. Salazar, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 284, 113188
Date: 07/2026
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Rural Female Veterans' Experiences of VA Care and a VA Telehealth Outreach Program
Explores the experiences of rural veteran women utilizing the Veterans Affairs (VA) Care and the Boost Program, a VA telehealth outreach program. Bases findings on semi-structured interviews exploring the accessibility of female-specific healthcare provided by the VA and the efficacy of the Boost Program.
Author(s): Kara A. Zamora-Rogoski, Caitlin L. McLean, Mariam Jacob, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 26, 316
Date: 06/2026
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Explores the experiences of rural veteran women utilizing the Veterans Affairs (VA) Care and the Boost Program, a VA telehealth outreach program. Bases findings on semi-structured interviews exploring the accessibility of female-specific healthcare provided by the VA and the efficacy of the Boost Program.
Author(s): Kara A. Zamora-Rogoski, Caitlin L. McLean, Mariam Jacob, et al.
Citation: BMC Women's Health, 26, 316
Date: 06/2026
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Rural-Urban Disparities in Access to Interventional Psychiatry Treatments among VA Patients
Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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Rural–Urban Differences in Use of Mental Health Care for Serious Mental Illness at the Veterans Health Administration: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis
Examines how use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health care varies among rural and urban veterans with serious mental illness (SMI), using FY 2018-2022 VHA administrative data. Includes data on rural and urban SMI prevalence, services used, and other demographic and clinical factors influencing service use.
Author(s): Alexandra B. Caloudas, Amber B. Amspoker, Ashley Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70173
Date: 06/2026
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Examines how use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health care varies among rural and urban veterans with serious mental illness (SMI), using FY 2018-2022 VHA administrative data. Includes data on rural and urban SMI prevalence, services used, and other demographic and clinical factors influencing service use.
Author(s): Alexandra B. Caloudas, Amber B. Amspoker, Ashley Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70173
Date: 06/2026
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Rural–Urban Disparities in Acute Pancreatitis Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study using the National Inpatient Sample (2016–2021)
Compares rural and urban acute pancreatitis hospitalization costs, mortality, length of stay, complications, and other healthcare outcomes, using 2016-2021 National Inpatient Sample data.
Author(s): Fatima Rashid, Kasim Syed Jafri, Niloy Ghosh, et al.
Citation: Medicine, 105(23), e49138
Date: 06/2026
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Compares rural and urban acute pancreatitis hospitalization costs, mortality, length of stay, complications, and other healthcare outcomes, using 2016-2021 National Inpatient Sample data.
Author(s): Fatima Rashid, Kasim Syed Jafri, Niloy Ghosh, et al.
Citation: Medicine, 105(23), e49138
Date: 06/2026
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Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services Rebalancing Is Concentrated in Large Urban Areas
Compares rural and urban utilization of home and community-based services among Medicaid long-term services and supports users, using 2022 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System data sourced through an ATI Advisory LTSS user dashboard. Analyzes rural-urban disparities in access by level of rurality and by state.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Laura M. Keohane
Citation: The Journal of the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association, 27(6), 106208
Date: 06/2026
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Compares rural and urban utilization of home and community-based services among Medicaid long-term services and supports users, using 2022 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System data sourced through an ATI Advisory LTSS user dashboard. Analyzes rural-urban disparities in access by level of rurality and by state.
Author(s): Emmaline Keesee, Laura M. Keohane
Citation: The Journal of the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association, 27(6), 106208
Date: 06/2026
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Rural-Urban Disparity in Postacute Care and 1-Year Outcomes After Ischemic Stroke
Examines how postacute stroke care varies among rural and urban-dwelling ischemic stroke patients, and how mortality, readmission, and home time varied at 1 year. Uses 2017-2022 Medicare beneficiary data.
Author(s): Shumei Man, Jie-Lena Sun, Brooke Alhanti, et al.
Citation: Stroke, 57(7), 2138-2149
Date: 05/2026
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Examines how postacute stroke care varies among rural and urban-dwelling ischemic stroke patients, and how mortality, readmission, and home time varied at 1 year. Uses 2017-2022 Medicare beneficiary data.
Author(s): Shumei Man, Jie-Lena Sun, Brooke Alhanti, et al.
Citation: Stroke, 57(7), 2138-2149
Date: 05/2026
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Comparing Patient and Provider Perspectives on a Rural, Multilevel, Community-Engaged Food Is Medicine Intervention
Compares perspectives of 25 low-income patients with chronic disease risk and 19 healthcare providers in the rural Mississippi Delta on potential impacts of a food is medicine (FIM) program. Discusses themes regarding health status improvement, improvements to food insecurity, diet-related disease management and healthcare delivery, implementation barriers, and program adherence.
Author(s): Danielle M. Krobath, Vanessa Nicholson-Robinson, Yarisbel Melo Herrera, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Compares perspectives of 25 low-income patients with chronic disease risk and 19 healthcare providers in the rural Mississippi Delta on potential impacts of a food is medicine (FIM) program. Discusses themes regarding health status improvement, improvements to food insecurity, diet-related disease management and healthcare delivery, implementation barriers, and program adherence.
Author(s): Danielle M. Krobath, Vanessa Nicholson-Robinson, Yarisbel Melo Herrera, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Dementia Diagnostic Deserts: Workforce and Geographic Inequities in the Diagnostic Pathway for Cognitive Impairment
Describes the "Triple Disadvantage Zones" or the places where rurality, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas, and social deprivation converge to create a dementia diagnostic desert resulting in both delayed diagnosis and over-testing. Discusses training gaps for nurse practitioners and physician assistants as well as policy measures to mitigate diagnosis errors.
Author(s): Zhijing Xu, Ying Xue, Yaguang Zheng, Bei Wu
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Describes the "Triple Disadvantage Zones" or the places where rurality, Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas, and social deprivation converge to create a dementia diagnostic desert resulting in both delayed diagnosis and over-testing. Discusses training gaps for nurse practitioners and physician assistants as well as policy measures to mitigate diagnosis errors.
Author(s): Zhijing Xu, Ying Xue, Yaguang Zheng, Bei Wu
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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