Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Health disparities
2024 Alaska Scorecard: Key Issues Impacting Alaska Mental Health Trust Beneficiaries
Report explores mental health data for the state of Alaska and compares rates to national data and to a state-level baseline. Details data by indicator, such as healthcare access, economic and social well-being, and suicide prevention, among other measures.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
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Report explores mental health data for the state of Alaska and compares rates to national data and to a state-level baseline. Details data by indicator, such as healthcare access, economic and social well-being, and suicide prevention, among other measures.
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority
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Addressing Workforce Challenges Across the Behavioral Health Continuum of Care: Proceedings of a Workshop
Summary of presentations and discussions from a July 2024 public workshop to address workforce needs and challenges related to behavioral healthcare. Includes discussions of telepsychiatry collaborative care to improve rural access and capacity, and recruiting and retaining Native American healthcare providers in behavioral health settings.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Summary of presentations and discussions from a July 2024 public workshop to address workforce needs and challenges related to behavioral healthcare. Includes discussions of telepsychiatry collaborative care to improve rural access and capacity, and recruiting and retaining Native American healthcare providers in behavioral health settings.
Additional links: Read Online
Author(s): Board on Health Care Services
Date: 2025
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Association Between Obesogenic Environments and Childhood Overweight/Obesity Across the United States: Differences by Rurality
Examines the impact of environmental factors on childhood obesity in rural areas. Utilizes the Childhood Obesogenic Environment Index (COEI) to analyze statistical differences in rural versus urban counties in the U.S. Discusses the relationship of COEI variables and childhood overweight/obesity rates.
Author(s): Kara Davis, Demetrius A. Abshire, Courtney Monroe, Caroline Rudisill, Andrew T. Kaczynski
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Examines the impact of environmental factors on childhood obesity in rural areas. Utilizes the Childhood Obesogenic Environment Index (COEI) to analyze statistical differences in rural versus urban counties in the U.S. Discusses the relationship of COEI variables and childhood overweight/obesity rates.
Author(s): Kara Davis, Demetrius A. Abshire, Courtney Monroe, Caroline Rudisill, Andrew T. Kaczynski
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Drive Time to Care and Retention in HIV Care: Rural–Urban Differences Among Medicaid Enrollees in the United States South
Presents a study on the role geography plays in HIV care retention and maintenance. Draws data from Medicaid enrollees in 13 southern states including the District of Columbia and compares patient drive times to care in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by county social determinants of health, healthcare supply, and HIV prevalence, as well as patient characteristics.
Author(s): April D. Kimmel, Rose S. Bono, Zhongzhe Pan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12877
Date: 2025
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Presents a study on the role geography plays in HIV care retention and maintenance. Draws data from Medicaid enrollees in 13 southern states including the District of Columbia and compares patient drive times to care in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by county social determinants of health, healthcare supply, and HIV prevalence, as well as patient characteristics.
Author(s): April D. Kimmel, Rose S. Bono, Zhongzhe Pan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12877
Date: 2025
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Home Health Utilization in the Veterans Health Administration: Are there Rural and Urban Differences?
Examines home health usage and access among veterans in rural and urban areas. Utilizes 2019-2021 Veterans Health Administration (VA) data to analyze rural versus urban home health use, with data broken down by patient sociodemographic variables as well as number of visits.
Author(s): Heather Davila, Bradely Mayfield, Michelle A. Mengeling, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12865
Date: 2025
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Examines home health usage and access among veterans in rural and urban areas. Utilizes 2019-2021 Veterans Health Administration (VA) data to analyze rural versus urban home health use, with data broken down by patient sociodemographic variables as well as number of visits.
Author(s): Heather Davila, Bradely Mayfield, Michelle A. Mengeling, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12865
Date: 2025
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The Uneven Impact of Medicaid Expansion on Rural and Urban Black, Latino/a, and White Mortality
Examines mortality rates and the corresponding impact of Medicaid expansion on Black, Latino/a, and White populations, broken down by rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2009-2019 data of Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) estimates to provide statistical breakdowns and graphic representation of how Medicaid expansion has impacted mortality rates for varying populations.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Regina S. Baker, Matthew M. Brooks
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12859
Date: 2025
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Examines mortality rates and the corresponding impact of Medicaid expansion on Black, Latino/a, and White populations, broken down by rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2009-2019 data of Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATET) estimates to provide statistical breakdowns and graphic representation of how Medicaid expansion has impacted mortality rates for varying populations.
Author(s): J. Tom Mueller, Regina S. Baker, Matthew M. Brooks
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12859
Date: 2025
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Associations Between COVID-19 Therapies and Outcomes in Rural and Urban America: A Multisite, Temporal Analysis from the Alpha to Omicron SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Examines COVID-19 treatment, health outcomes, and mortality disparities in rural and urban areas of the United States. Analyzes 2021-2023 National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 3,018,646 patients to break down COVID-19 disparities according to patient demographics, vaccine status, comorbidities, U.S. Census region, and adverse inpatient events, as well as urban, urban-adjacent, or nonurban-adjacent location.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, William H. Beasley, Kimberly Murray, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12857
Date: 2025
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Examines COVID-19 treatment, health outcomes, and mortality disparities in rural and urban areas of the United States. Analyzes 2021-2023 National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data from 3,018,646 patients to break down COVID-19 disparities according to patient demographics, vaccine status, comorbidities, U.S. Census region, and adverse inpatient events, as well as urban, urban-adjacent, or nonurban-adjacent location.
Author(s): A. Jerrod Anzalone, William H. Beasley, Kimberly Murray, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12857
Date: 2025
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Health Care Access Barriers Among Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Populations of Eight Geographically Diverse States, 2018
Reports on healthcare access and demographic differences in metro and nonmetro populations. Utilizes Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to observe differences in noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan sociodemographics and access barriers such as insurance, cost, non-financial delays in care, and more.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Radhika Ranganathan, Jan M. Eberth
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12855
Date: 2025
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Reports on healthcare access and demographic differences in metro and nonmetro populations. Utilizes Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to observe differences in noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan sociodemographics and access barriers such as insurance, cost, non-financial delays in care, and more.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Radhika Ranganathan, Jan M. Eberth
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12855
Date: 2025
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Cervical Cancer Incidence and Trends among Women Aged 15-29 Years by County-Level Economic Status and Rurality - United States, 2007-2020
Examines economic and geographic variations and trends in cervical cancer incidence, utilizing US Cancer Statistics data for women aged 15-29 during 2007-2020. Data on disparities in incidence by county-level economic status by rurality, among other demographic factors.
Author(s): Radhika Agarwal, Jessica B. King, Sameer V. Gopalani, Virginia Senkomago
Citation: Cancer Epidemiology, 94, 102730
Date: 12/2024
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Examines economic and geographic variations and trends in cervical cancer incidence, utilizing US Cancer Statistics data for women aged 15-29 during 2007-2020. Data on disparities in incidence by county-level economic status by rurality, among other demographic factors.
Author(s): Radhika Agarwal, Jessica B. King, Sameer V. Gopalani, Virginia Senkomago
Citation: Cancer Epidemiology, 94, 102730
Date: 12/2024
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Annual Report on the New Hampshire Health Care Workforce and Data Collection: Calendar Year 2024
Includes aggregate data and information on current and projected New Hampshire primary workforce needs and the participation rate on surveys completed by clinicians for the Health Professions Data Center. Features a state map showing rural and nonrural New Hampshire regional public health networks, and statistics on demographics, barriers to care, substance use and mental health, and maternal health. Includes license renewal data for various providers types, and workforce data on physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants, including percentage in rural regions.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, New Hampshire Rural Health & Primary Care
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Includes aggregate data and information on current and projected New Hampshire primary workforce needs and the participation rate on surveys completed by clinicians for the Health Professions Data Center. Features a state map showing rural and nonrural New Hampshire regional public health networks, and statistics on demographics, barriers to care, substance use and mental health, and maternal health. Includes license renewal data for various providers types, and workforce data on physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, and physician assistants, including percentage in rural regions.
Date: 12/2024
Sponsoring organizations: New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, New Hampshire Rural Health & Primary Care
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