Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services
Geographic Variability in Contemporary Utilization of PET Imaging for Prostate Cancer: A Medicare Claims Cohort Study
Analyzes likelihood of receiving Positron Emission Tomography (PET) by level of rurality as part of prostate cancer treatment, utilizing 2019-2021 Medicare claims data. Includes analysis of interactions between metro, urban, or rural geography and patients' race.
Author(s): Stephan M. Korn, Zhiyu Qian, Hanna Zurl, et al.
Citation: Cancer Imaging, 25, 86
Date: 07/2025
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Analyzes likelihood of receiving Positron Emission Tomography (PET) by level of rurality as part of prostate cancer treatment, utilizing 2019-2021 Medicare claims data. Includes analysis of interactions between metro, urban, or rural geography and patients' race.
Author(s): Stephan M. Korn, Zhiyu Qian, Hanna Zurl, et al.
Citation: Cancer Imaging, 25, 86
Date: 07/2025
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Access to OB-GYNs: Evaluating Workforce Supply and ACA Marketplace Networks
Examines the workforce supply of OB-GYNs employed in the United States and part of insurance marketplace networks. Provides interactive county-level data on number of practicing OB-GYNs per 100,000 women aged 15-64. Presents the share of counties with no OB-GYNs and the share of women living in them according to rural, small metro, or urban county classification.
Author(s): Michelle Long, Matthew Rae, Aubrey Winger, and Kaye Pestaina
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the workforce supply of OB-GYNs employed in the United States and part of insurance marketplace networks. Provides interactive county-level data on number of practicing OB-GYNs per 100,000 women aged 15-64. Presents the share of counties with no OB-GYNs and the share of women living in them according to rural, small metro, or urban county classification.
Author(s): Michelle Long, Matthew Rae, Aubrey Winger, and Kaye Pestaina
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Establishing First Age-Friendly Health System Tele-Palliative Care Clinic – Facilitators, Challenges, Lessons Learned to Improve Care for Rural, Older Veterans
Presents a study exploring an age-friendly tele-palliative care clinic for older veterans. Highlights challenges and successes of using telehealth to provide palliative care to older rural veterans in Colorado.
Author(s): Stephanie Hartz, Alexander Garbin, Kathryn Allen Nearing, et al.
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 07/2025
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Presents a study exploring an age-friendly tele-palliative care clinic for older veterans. Highlights challenges and successes of using telehealth to provide palliative care to older rural veterans in Colorado.
Author(s): Stephanie Hartz, Alexander Garbin, Kathryn Allen Nearing, et al.
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 07/2025
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EMS Service Integration in American Indian and Native Alaskan Rural Communities
Highlights several initiatives aimed at expanding emergency medical services (EMS) in tribal communities. Explores the role of tribal sovereignty, cost effectiveness, and infrastructure improvements in expanding and optimizing EMS in tribal communities.
Author(s): Chelsea Tsasse, John Shufeldt
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 27(7), 525-529
Date: 07/2025
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Highlights several initiatives aimed at expanding emergency medical services (EMS) in tribal communities. Explores the role of tribal sovereignty, cost effectiveness, and infrastructure improvements in expanding and optimizing EMS in tribal communities.
Author(s): Chelsea Tsasse, John Shufeldt
Citation: AMA Journal of Ethics, 27(7), 525-529
Date: 07/2025
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Palliative Video Consultation and Symptom Distress Among Rural Inpatients: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Results of a study to assess whether culturally-based palliative care video consultation improves symptom distress compared with usual inpatient care without palliative care. Uses data collected from July 2020 to December 2023 from 3 rural hospitals in Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Author(s): Marie A. Bakitas, Shena Gazaway, Felicia Underwood, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(7), e2519426
Date: 07/2025
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Results of a study to assess whether culturally-based palliative care video consultation improves symptom distress compared with usual inpatient care without palliative care. Uses data collected from July 2020 to December 2023 from 3 rural hospitals in Alabama, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Author(s): Marie A. Bakitas, Shena Gazaway, Felicia Underwood, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(7), e2519426
Date: 07/2025
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Cancer in Rural America: Improving Access to Clinical Trials and Quality of Oncologic Care
Discusses the importance of rural populations accessing oncologic clinical trials to decrease cancer morbidity and mortality rates in rural areas. Provides rural versus urban patient data on distance from trial sites as well as prevalence of chronic disease. Suggests strategies and policies to improve access to clinical trials.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger, Barbara L. McAneny, Raymond U. Osarogiagbon
Citation: CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 75(4), 341-361
Date: 07/2025
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Discusses the importance of rural populations accessing oncologic clinical trials to decrease cancer morbidity and mortality rates in rural areas. Provides rural versus urban patient data on distance from trial sites as well as prevalence of chronic disease. Suggests strategies and policies to improve access to clinical trials.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger, Barbara L. McAneny, Raymond U. Osarogiagbon
Citation: CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 75(4), 341-361
Date: 07/2025
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Sustainability of the Growth of the Local Public Health Workforce During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019–2022
Examines changes in the local health department (LHD) workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing 2019-2022 NACCHO National Profile of Local Health Departments data. Breaks down LHD workforce composition and size data by LHD jurisdiction size and rurality.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Timothy C. McCall, Margaret Cunningham, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 115, 1271-1277
Date: 07/2025
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Examines changes in the local health department (LHD) workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing 2019-2022 NACCHO National Profile of Local Health Departments data. Breaks down LHD workforce composition and size data by LHD jurisdiction size and rurality.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Timothy C. McCall, Margaret Cunningham, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 115, 1271-1277
Date: 07/2025
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Appalachian Diseases of Despair: Final Report
Analyzes the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within Appalachia, focusing on mortality from alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis of the liver. Includes data through 2023, with demographics and breakdowns by subregion, county economic status, and levels of rurality.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, East Tennessee State University Center for Rural Health and Research, NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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Analyzes the impact of diseases of despair on mortality within Appalachia, focusing on mortality from alcohol, prescription drug, and illegal drug overdose; suicide; and alcoholic liver disease/cirrhosis of the liver. Includes data through 2023, with demographics and breakdowns by subregion, county economic status, and levels of rurality.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, East Tennessee State University Center for Rural Health and Research, NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis
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The Uncertain Future of Medicare's Stand-Alone Prescription Drug Plan Market and Why It Matters
Discusses the Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) market and the Part D premium stabilization demonstration. Describes the impact of PDP market stability on rural Medicare beneficiaries. Explores the potential effects of the continuation of, or changes to, the premium stabilization program.
Author(s): Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Discusses the Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) market and the Part D premium stabilization demonstration. Describes the impact of PDP market stability on rural Medicare beneficiaries. Explores the potential effects of the continuation of, or changes to, the premium stabilization program.
Author(s): Juliette Cubanski, Tricia Neuman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Implementing a Tribally Engaged Lung Cancer Screening Pilot Program in Rural Oklahoma
Presents a study on the efficacy of a lung cancer screening program within a tribally operated health system in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Bases findings on pre- and post-intervention surveys. Makes recommendation for program expansion and highlights key barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Zsolt Nagykaldi, Mark Doescher, Dorothy A. Rhoades, et al.
Citation: Cancer Prevention Research, 18(7), 423-430
Date: 07/2025
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Presents a study on the efficacy of a lung cancer screening program within a tribally operated health system in the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. Bases findings on pre- and post-intervention surveys. Makes recommendation for program expansion and highlights key barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Zsolt Nagykaldi, Mark Doescher, Dorothy A. Rhoades, et al.
Citation: Cancer Prevention Research, 18(7), 423-430
Date: 07/2025
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