Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Maternal health and prenatal care
10 Things to Know About Rural Hospitals
Presents information and data on rural hospitals and rural hospital finances. Compares insurance coverage of discharges and births, margins, and the impact of Medicaid expansion by hospitals' rural and urban location. Includes information on rural hospital closures and Medicare special payment designations for rural hospitals. Discusses the potential impacts of recent federal spending proposals on rural hospitals.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Jamie Godwin, Tricia Neuman
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Presents information and data on rural hospitals and rural hospital finances. Compares insurance coverage of discharges and births, margins, and the impact of Medicaid expansion by hospitals' rural and urban location. Includes information on rural hospital closures and Medicare special payment designations for rural hospitals. Discusses the potential impacts of recent federal spending proposals on rural hospitals.
Author(s): Scott Hulver, Zachary Levinson, Jamie Godwin, Tricia Neuman
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Better Health for Mothers and Babies Issue Brief: Reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
Discusses maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. and the underlying causes. Focuses on access to care, medically at-risk patients, social factors, and maternal health challenges in rural areas. Includes suggestions to improve maternal health outcomes with examples from various healthcare facilities.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discusses maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. and the underlying causes. Focuses on access to care, medically at-risk patients, social factors, and maternal health challenges in rural areas. Includes suggestions to improve maternal health outcomes with examples from various healthcare facilities.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Mapping Maternity Care Deserts: Driving Distance and Health Outcomes in North Carolina
Examines the relationship between maternity care deserts in North Carolina and maternal and infant health. Utilizes 2016-2021 hospitalization records to examine travel distance to care and health outcomes such as cesarean delivery rates, severe maternal morbidity, and hypertension. Discusses maternal health access issues across rural-urban commuting (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Margaret Sugg, Shishir Shakya, Sarah Ulrich, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Examines the relationship between maternity care deserts in North Carolina and maternal and infant health. Utilizes 2016-2021 hospitalization records to examine travel distance to care and health outcomes such as cesarean delivery rates, severe maternal morbidity, and hypertension. Discusses maternal health access issues across rural-urban commuting (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Margaret Sugg, Shishir Shakya, Sarah Ulrich, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Maternal Mortality in Indiana: Contributing Factors and Policy Recommendations
Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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Tennessee Maternal Health Strategic Plan, 2025-2030
Addresses Tennessee's maternal health outcomes. Outlines goals, strategies, and objectives that seek to build on existing partnerships and strengths while addressing challenges and gaps, to improve maternal health statewide. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Hannah Dudney
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Addresses Tennessee's maternal health outcomes. Outlines goals, strategies, and objectives that seek to build on existing partnerships and strengths while addressing challenges and gaps, to improve maternal health statewide. Mentions rural throughout.
Author(s): Hannah Dudney
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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A Picture of the Loss of Rural Obstetrical Service in Alabama 1980 to 2025
County-level maps showing counties with hospitals offering obstetrical service in 1980 and those offering service as of March 2025.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
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County-level maps showing counties with hospitals offering obstetrical service in 1980 and those offering service as of March 2025.
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Alabama Office of Primary Care and Rural Health
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Improving Access to Maternity Care in Iowa's Health Care Deserts
Examines maternal healthcare shortages and facility closures in Iowa. Discusses strategies to improve access, such as workforce training, graduate medical education, and collaborative opportunities.
Author(s): Diana Mirel
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
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Examines maternal healthcare shortages and facility closures in Iowa. Discusses strategies to improve access, such as workforce training, graduate medical education, and collaborative opportunities.
Author(s): Diana Mirel
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Medical Association
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Rural–Urban Differences in Substance Use During Pregnancy
Examines perinatal substance use in rural and urban populations. Utilizes 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to analyze 3,499 pregnant women according to rural, small urban, and large urban location, as well as by demographic variables, health status, and type of substance use.
Author(s): Emma Kathryn Boswell, Olivia M. Hinds, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 03/2025
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Examines perinatal substance use in rural and urban populations. Utilizes 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to analyze 3,499 pregnant women according to rural, small urban, and large urban location, as well as by demographic variables, health status, and type of substance use.
Author(s): Emma Kathryn Boswell, Olivia M. Hinds, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 03/2025
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Rural Maternal Health Interventions: A Scoping Review and Implications for Best Practices
Presents a scoping review of maternal health interventions in rural communities. Explores the efficacy of different interventions at improving maternal care and details the barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Rachel D'Amico Gordon, Alyson Kishi, Jordyn A. Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70007
Date: 03/2025
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Presents a scoping review of maternal health interventions in rural communities. Explores the efficacy of different interventions at improving maternal care and details the barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Rachel D'Amico Gordon, Alyson Kishi, Jordyn A. Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70007
Date: 03/2025
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Texas Border Health Data Overview
Presentation slides providing data on population, noncommunicable disease, mental and behavioral health, maternal and child health, and injuries in Texas's border region. Includes data comparisons between border and non-border counties.
Author(s): Rhae Cisneros
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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Presentation slides providing data on population, noncommunicable disease, mental and behavioral health, maternal and child health, and injuries in Texas's border region. Includes data comparisons between border and non-border counties.
Author(s): Rhae Cisneros
Date: 02/2025
Sponsoring organization: Texas Health and Human Services
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