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Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Healthcare needs and services

Improving Childhood Immunization Access in Rural Washington Through School-Based Partnerships
Discusses Washington State's Northeast Tri County Health District (NETCHD) efforts to address low rates of childhood immunization within Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille counties via partnerships with schools, public communication, immunization clinics, and other forms of outreach.
Author(s): Rae Lamp
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Association of County and City Health Officials
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Rural Pediatric Readiness: Improving Emergency Care for Kids
Features rural providers in Texas and Wyoming working to improve their ability to provide quality emergency care to pediatric patients, as well as a pediatric readiness training program in Georgia.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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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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Exploring Associations Between Well-Being, Mental Distress, and Five Dimensions of Social Capital in Rural Georgia
Explores the role social capital plays in supporting mental health and well-being in rural communities. Bases findings on surveys collected from residents of 6 rural counties in Georgia. Breaks down findings by rates of mental health and well-being by dimension of social capital: trust, diversity of interactions, reciprocity, civic engagement, and voting.
Author(s): Alexis Joanna Smith, Lauren M Bigger, Robin E McGee, et al.
Citation: Family and Community Health, 49(3), 192-196
Date: 07/2026
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Mental Health
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan mental health HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan mental health HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Mental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Primary Care
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan primary care HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan primary care HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Primary Care HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Health Professional Shortage Areas: Dental Care
Printable map that shows nonmetropolitan and micropolitan dental care HPSAs on one color scale and metropolitan dental care HPSAs on another. Data source: data.HRSA.gov
Additional links: Dental Health HPSA Table
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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2025 Survey of Veteran Enrollees' Health and Use of Health Care
Report discusses the overall health and healthcare usage throughout the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Bases findings on a survey of enrollees and breaks down data by demographics, health insurance, current health status, and healthcare use, among other measures. Compares rural and urban unemployment data.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration
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The Need for Community-Based Multimodal Screening for Chronic Disease and Cancer in Rural Kansas
Discusses how the development of community-based, multimodal screening infrastructure can address the high prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases in rural Kansas by improving access to preventive services and effectively addressing clustered chronic health conditions.
Author(s): Jordan A. Neely, Jerah R. Schmidt, Elham S. Ziaei, et al.
Citation: International Journal of General Medicine, 19, 613943
Date: 06/2026
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Rural Primary Care and Value Based Payment: Challenges and Opportunities
Slides from a June 5, 2026, presentation to the National Academy for State Health Policy's Rural Primary Care Learning Network. Discusses addressing challenges rural providers have related to value-based care.
Author(s): Keith J. Mueller, A. Clinton MacKinney
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Value
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