Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities
Economic Stability of Children, a Key Social Determinant of Health, in the United States: Differences by Rurality
Presents a study exploring economic security as a social determinant of health for rural children. Compares rates of economic security for rural and urban children by three different measures: housing instability, food insecurity, and income inadequacy.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Emma Boswell, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70164
Date: 05/2026
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Presents a study exploring economic security as a social determinant of health for rural children. Compares rates of economic security for rural and urban children by three different measures: housing instability, food insecurity, and income inadequacy.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Emma Boswell, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70164
Date: 05/2026
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The Golden Hour Is Elusive in Rural Trauma: A 10-year Analysis from a Level I Trauma Center in Montana
Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
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Analyzed 4,213 trauma patients between 2012 and 2022 at a Level 1 trauma facility in Montana to determine whether trauma transfer patterns and rurality impacted outcomes. Discusses the goal of offering definitive care within 1 hour of injury and the impact of workforce shortages in rural areas.
Author(s): Jung G. Min, Maggie Smith, Michael S. Englehart, et al.
Citation: The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 103, 127-131
Date: 05/2026
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Significant Mediation by Sadness and Self-Injury Is Observed in Associations Between County-Level Cyberbullying Victimization and Youth Suicidality in Rural New York State
Explores the relationship between cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and suicidality in rural counties in New York State. Highlights rates of bullying and cyberbullying, self-harm, recreational screen time, and other measures by demographic characteristic data.
Author(s): Laura E. Jones, Riya Nadkarni, Nicole Krupa
Citation: Journal of Affective Disorders, 401(15), 121270
Date: 05/2026
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Explores the relationship between cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and suicidality in rural counties in New York State. Highlights rates of bullying and cyberbullying, self-harm, recreational screen time, and other measures by demographic characteristic data.
Author(s): Laura E. Jones, Riya Nadkarni, Nicole Krupa
Citation: Journal of Affective Disorders, 401(15), 121270
Date: 05/2026
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One Nation, Two Rural Health Crises: Georgia and Texas Show Why Local Data-Informed Solutions Matter
Discusses how local conditions, including socioeconomic pressures, chronic disease prevalence, and limited access to care, differently influence rural health needs and solutions in Georgia and Texas. Includes discussion of maternal health disparities and chronic disease prevalence as key topics requiring different solutions in different states.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: PCCI
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Discusses how local conditions, including socioeconomic pressures, chronic disease prevalence, and limited access to care, differently influence rural health needs and solutions in Georgia and Texas. Includes discussion of maternal health disparities and chronic disease prevalence as key topics requiring different solutions in different states.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: PCCI
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Whole Health, Whole Communities — Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities
Summarizes discussions from the 2025 Whole Health, Whole Communities: Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities symposium on the short, intermediate, and long-term policy, financing, workforce, and data infrastructure reforms needed to implement Whole Health principles across rural health systems.
Author(s): Jyoti Savla, Taryn Pelletier, Karen A. Roberto, et al.
Citation: NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 7(s2)
Date: 04/2026
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Summarizes discussions from the 2025 Whole Health, Whole Communities: Dialogues to Reduce Rural Health Disparities symposium on the short, intermediate, and long-term policy, financing, workforce, and data infrastructure reforms needed to implement Whole Health principles across rural health systems.
Author(s): Jyoti Savla, Taryn Pelletier, Karen A. Roberto, et al.
Citation: NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 7(s2)
Date: 04/2026
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County-Level Social Determinants of Health and Suicide Mortality Trends Among Formerly Incarcerated Persons in North Carolina, 2010–2018
Assesses how county-level factors including educational attainment, unemployment, poverty, aging, racial composition, and rurality are associated with suicide mortality among formerly incarcerated people in North Carolina. Features statistics including mortality rate per 100,000 with breakdowns by year from 2010-2018 and rural or urban county.
Author(s): Monica E. Swilley-Martinez, Brian W. Pence, Kate Vinita Fitch, et al.
Citation: Heath & Justice, 14, 20
Date: 04/2026
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Assesses how county-level factors including educational attainment, unemployment, poverty, aging, racial composition, and rurality are associated with suicide mortality among formerly incarcerated people in North Carolina. Features statistics including mortality rate per 100,000 with breakdowns by year from 2010-2018 and rural or urban county.
Author(s): Monica E. Swilley-Martinez, Brian W. Pence, Kate Vinita Fitch, et al.
Citation: Heath & Justice, 14, 20
Date: 04/2026
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Multi-Listing among Rural Kidney Transplant Recipients: A National Cohort Study
Explores the efficacy of multi-listing, or being added to waiting lists at more than two centers, for rural people who qualify for a kidney transplant as a method for improving rural transplantation rates. Breaks down data by patients characteristics of both recipients and donors and whether they were multi-listed prior to transplant.
Author(s): Erin R. Weeda, Arwen B. L. Declan, Patricia J. Greene, Derek A. DuBay
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70156
Date: 04/2026
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Explores the efficacy of multi-listing, or being added to waiting lists at more than two centers, for rural people who qualify for a kidney transplant as a method for improving rural transplantation rates. Breaks down data by patients characteristics of both recipients and donors and whether they were multi-listed prior to transplant.
Author(s): Erin R. Weeda, Arwen B. L. Declan, Patricia J. Greene, Derek A. DuBay
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70156
Date: 04/2026
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Characteristics of Firearm Injuries among Rural-Versus Urban-Residing Veterans Who Presented to VA Healthcare, 2010-2019
Presents a study using administrative data and electronic health records from VA health systems to compare firearm injuries among rural and urban veterans. Breaks down rural and urban veteran data by patient characteristics, such as age, marital status, and behavioral health diagnoses, among others.
Author(s): AnnaMarie S. O'Neill, Lauren A. Maxim, Tess A. Gilbert, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70153
Date: 04/2026
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Presents a study using administrative data and electronic health records from VA health systems to compare firearm injuries among rural and urban veterans. Breaks down rural and urban veteran data by patient characteristics, such as age, marital status, and behavioral health diagnoses, among others.
Author(s): AnnaMarie S. O'Neill, Lauren A. Maxim, Tess A. Gilbert, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70153
Date: 04/2026
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The Distribution of the Youth Behavioral Health Workforce in Rural and Urban America in 2025
Examines the distribution of school counselors; youth, family, or school psychologists; youth or family mental health nurses; school social workers; and pediatric psychiatrists or behavioral pediatricians across rural and urban areas of the U.S. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and location by 6 levels of population density, and a county-level map with shadings showing rural counties with and without youth behavioral health clinicians.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the distribution of school counselors; youth, family, or school psychologists; youth or family mental health nurses; school social workers; and pediatric psychiatrists or behavioral pediatricians across rural and urban areas of the U.S. Features statistics with breakdowns by provider type and location by 6 levels of population density, and a county-level map with shadings showing rural counties with and without youth behavioral health clinicians.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Comparing the Care, Distance Traveled, and Health Workforce Clinician Mix for Rural and Urban Commercially Insured Enrollees With Opioid Use Disorder
Examines characteristics of opioid treatment in rural and urban communities across the United States. Utilizes 2019 commercial claims data from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) to analyze rural versus urban differences in opioid use disorder and overdose diagnoses, healthcare utilization, healthcare visits by clinician type, average distance traveled to utilize healthcare, and location of received care.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Examines characteristics of opioid treatment in rural and urban communities across the United States. Utilizes 2019 commercial claims data from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) to analyze rural versus urban differences in opioid use disorder and overdose diagnoses, healthcare utilization, healthcare visits by clinician type, average distance traveled to utilize healthcare, and location of received care.
Author(s): C. Holly A. Andrilla, Sara C. Woolcock, Lisa A. Garberson, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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