Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Nicotine and Tobacco Product Use among US Youth in 10th and 12th Grade, 2023–2025: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
Examines trends in youth nicotine, tobacco, and multi-product co-use. Utilizes 2023-2025 survey data from 10th and 12th graders and analyzes lifetime use and past 30-day use of various nicotine and tobacco products according to grade, demographics, parent education, and school location of urban, suburban/town, or rural.
Author(s): Dayoung Bae, Junhan Cho, Alyssa F. Harlow, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 65, 101673
Date: 01/2027
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Examines trends in youth nicotine, tobacco, and multi-product co-use. Utilizes 2023-2025 survey data from 10th and 12th graders and analyzes lifetime use and past 30-day use of various nicotine and tobacco products according to grade, demographics, parent education, and school location of urban, suburban/town, or rural.
Author(s): Dayoung Bae, Junhan Cho, Alyssa F. Harlow, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 65, 101673
Date: 01/2027
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Developing Community Partnerships and Authentically Engaging Youth to Prevent Substance Use: Successes from the Pyramid Coalition in Hidalgo County, New Mexico
Explores the Pyramid Coalition, a Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program initiative, in rural Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Discusses the coalition's work in preventing youth substance use and highlights best practices for engaging youth in rural and frontier communities.
Author(s): Christina Johnson, Joni Kerr
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S181-S184
Date: 11/2026
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Explores the Pyramid Coalition, a Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program initiative, in rural Hidalgo County, New Mexico. Discusses the coalition's work in preventing youth substance use and highlights best practices for engaging youth in rural and frontier communities.
Author(s): Christina Johnson, Joni Kerr
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S181-S184
Date: 11/2026
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Building a Rural, Coalition-Based Approach to Youth Substance Use Prevention: The Drug Free Dickson Coalition Model
Presents a rural coalition-based initiative to address youth substance use in Dickson County, Tennessee. Details a coalition, including local government, schools, healthcare providers, faith-based institutions, and law enforcement, among others, that works to engage youth across the county using evidence-based strategies.
Author(s): Karrie R. Thompson
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S185-S188
Date: 11/2026
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Presents a rural coalition-based initiative to address youth substance use in Dickson County, Tennessee. Details a coalition, including local government, schools, healthcare providers, faith-based institutions, and law enforcement, among others, that works to engage youth across the county using evidence-based strategies.
Author(s): Karrie R. Thompson
Citation: Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32(6S), S185-S188
Date: 11/2026
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How Do Services Offered Within Opioid Treatment Programs Vary Based on State Methadone Policies?
Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
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Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
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Operational Challenges During Public Health Emergencies in Safety-Net Hospitals
Results of a study identifying challenges faced by safety net hospitals (SNHs) and approaches to strengthen future emergency response capacity. Based on data from 10 SNHs, including 3 in rural areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Tara Kirk Sell, Vanessa Gregoire, Madisen S. Neufeld, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2640799
Date: 10/2026
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Results of a study identifying challenges faced by safety net hospitals (SNHs) and approaches to strengthen future emergency response capacity. Based on data from 10 SNHs, including 3 in rural areas. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Tara Kirk Sell, Vanessa Gregoire, Madisen S. Neufeld, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2640799
Date: 10/2026
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Rural Skin Cancer Patients Tend to 'Slip Through the Cracks.' These Programs Are Trying to Change That
Provides a brief overview of barriers to accessing dermatology healthcare services and highlights programs to improve dermatology care in rural areas. Features a mobile unit offering skin cancer screenings and other dermatology services in rural areas of California, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, and Utah; a rural dermatology residency training track in Mississippi; and a Wisconsin program that provides dermatology training for rural primary care providers, equipping them with the hands-on skills to provide basic care when access to a specialist is limited.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides a brief overview of barriers to accessing dermatology healthcare services and highlights programs to improve dermatology care in rural areas. Features a mobile unit offering skin cancer screenings and other dermatology services in rural areas of California, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, and Utah; a rural dermatology residency training track in Mississippi; and a Wisconsin program that provides dermatology training for rural primary care providers, equipping them with the hands-on skills to provide basic care when access to a specialist is limited.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Patient-Provider Distance in Medicare Outpatient Oncology Telehealth Versus Office Visits, 2021‐2023: Cross-Sectional Claims Analysis
Presents a study exploring the use of telehealth to extend the patient-provider geographic reach for outpatient oncology-related visits in patients aged 66 or older. Draws data from Medicare Fee-For-Service claims to compare patient-provider distance for in-office and telehealth oncology visits, by rurality and U.S. Census region.
Author(s): Lingbo Liu, Tracy Onega, Erika L. Moen, et al.
Citation: JMIR Medical Informatics, 14, e95370
Date: 10/2026
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Presents a study exploring the use of telehealth to extend the patient-provider geographic reach for outpatient oncology-related visits in patients aged 66 or older. Draws data from Medicare Fee-For-Service claims to compare patient-provider distance for in-office and telehealth oncology visits, by rurality and U.S. Census region.
Author(s): Lingbo Liu, Tracy Onega, Erika L. Moen, et al.
Citation: JMIR Medical Informatics, 14, e95370
Date: 10/2026
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People Living with Dementia in Rural Areas Are Most Likely to Report Unmet Service Needs in Home- and Community-based Services in the United States
Examines the relationship among home and community-based services (HCBS), dementia status, and rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2016-2019 National Core Indicators-Aging and Disability survey data to analyze 14,645 residents according to dementia status, sociodemographics, residential status and assistive care needs, and metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural location. Discusses how location impacts access to HCBS for people living with dementia.
Author(s): Romil R. Parikh, Eric Jutkowitz, Jack M. Wolf, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70230
Date: 10/2026
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Examines the relationship among home and community-based services (HCBS), dementia status, and rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2016-2019 National Core Indicators-Aging and Disability survey data to analyze 14,645 residents according to dementia status, sociodemographics, residential status and assistive care needs, and metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural location. Discusses how location impacts access to HCBS for people living with dementia.
Author(s): Romil R. Parikh, Eric Jutkowitz, Jack M. Wolf, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70230
Date: 10/2026
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Defining Mental Disorder: Differences in Primary Care Providers' and Psychiatrists' Conceptions of Illness
Compares how primary care providers (PCPs) and psychiatrists define and treat mental disorders in their patients. Uses interview data from 41 PCPs and 41 psychiatrists regarding their descriptions of patients with mental health concerns, the ease or difficulty of diagnosing and treating patients, referrals and access to mental health services, and more. Includes perspectives from rural PCPs and psychiatrists.
Author(s): Skye A. Miner, Joshua Breslau, Charles Engel, Stacey Yi, Luke J. Matthews
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine
Date: 10/2026
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Compares how primary care providers (PCPs) and psychiatrists define and treat mental disorders in their patients. Uses interview data from 41 PCPs and 41 psychiatrists regarding their descriptions of patients with mental health concerns, the ease or difficulty of diagnosing and treating patients, referrals and access to mental health services, and more. Includes perspectives from rural PCPs and psychiatrists.
Author(s): Skye A. Miner, Joshua Breslau, Charles Engel, Stacey Yi, Luke J. Matthews
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine
Date: 10/2026
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Hospice Visit Patterns Across Patient Demographic and Clinical Characteristics
Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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