Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Mental health conditions
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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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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Mental Health Treatment among Adults: United States, 2024
Explores data pertaining to mental health treatment received by adults in 2024. Breaks down data by treatment type, such as receiving medication or therapy, as well as demographic measures, such as age, family income, and rurality, among others.
Author(s): Elizabeth M. Briones, Maria A. Villarroel
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Explores data pertaining to mental health treatment received by adults in 2024. Breaks down data by treatment type, such as receiving medication or therapy, as well as demographic measures, such as age, family income, and rurality, among others.
Author(s): Elizabeth M. Briones, Maria A. Villarroel
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Rural-Urban Disparities in Access to Interventional Psychiatry Treatments among VA Patients
Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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Bridging the Rural Mental Health Gap: Telehealth Delivery of Specialized CBT and MBCT for Veterans With Parkinson's Disease
Examines the Veteran Affairs (VA) New Jersey Parkinson's Disease (PD) Telepsychotherapy Hub (PD Telepsych Hub) that provides virtual mental health treatments to rural veterans. Analyzes treatment results of 522 veterans with PD over 5 years of receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-PD) or group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT-PD). Provides data on sample demographics, clinical characteristics, pre- and post-treatment outcomes, and satisfaction with therapy.
Author(s): John R. Purcell, Rokas Perskaudas, Rachael B. Miller, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70175
Date: 06/2026
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Examines the Veteran Affairs (VA) New Jersey Parkinson's Disease (PD) Telepsychotherapy Hub (PD Telepsych Hub) that provides virtual mental health treatments to rural veterans. Analyzes treatment results of 522 veterans with PD over 5 years of receiving cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-PD) or group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT-PD). Provides data on sample demographics, clinical characteristics, pre- and post-treatment outcomes, and satisfaction with therapy.
Author(s): John R. Purcell, Rokas Perskaudas, Rachael B. Miller, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70175
Date: 06/2026
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Rural–Urban Differences in Use of Mental Health Care for Serious Mental Illness at the Veterans Health Administration: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis
Examines how use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health care varies among rural and urban veterans with serious mental illness (SMI), using FY 2018-2022 VHA administrative data. Includes data on rural and urban SMI prevalence, services used, and other demographic and clinical factors influencing service use.
Author(s): Alexandra B. Caloudas, Amber B. Amspoker, Ashley Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70173
Date: 06/2026
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Examines how use of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) mental health care varies among rural and urban veterans with serious mental illness (SMI), using FY 2018-2022 VHA administrative data. Includes data on rural and urban SMI prevalence, services used, and other demographic and clinical factors influencing service use.
Author(s): Alexandra B. Caloudas, Amber B. Amspoker, Ashley Smith, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70173
Date: 06/2026
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Association Between Well-Being and Occupational Class in Small Businesses in the Rural United States
Examines mental health, stress, productivity, and more across different occupational roles in the rural United States. Utilizes 2024 survey data from 1,910 employees and analyzes mental health according to blue-collar versus white-collar occupation, demographics, and mental health condition.
Author(s): Laxmi D. Adhikari, Sampada Wagle, Bhagyashree Katare
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70172
Date: 06/2026
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Examines mental health, stress, productivity, and more across different occupational roles in the rural United States. Utilizes 2024 survey data from 1,910 employees and analyzes mental health according to blue-collar versus white-collar occupation, demographics, and mental health condition.
Author(s): Laxmi D. Adhikari, Sampada Wagle, Bhagyashree Katare
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70172
Date: 06/2026
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Significant Mediation by Sadness and Self-Injury Is Observed in Associations Between County-Level Cyberbullying Victimization and Youth Suicidality in Rural New York State
Explores the relationship between cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and suicidality in rural counties in New York State. Highlights rates of bullying and cyberbullying, self-harm, recreational screen time, and other measures by demographic characteristic data.
Author(s): Laura E. Jones, Riya Nadkarni, Nicole Krupa
Citation: Journal of Affective Disorders, 401(15), 121270
Date: 05/2026
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Explores the relationship between cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and suicidality in rural counties in New York State. Highlights rates of bullying and cyberbullying, self-harm, recreational screen time, and other measures by demographic characteristic data.
Author(s): Laura E. Jones, Riya Nadkarni, Nicole Krupa
Citation: Journal of Affective Disorders, 401(15), 121270
Date: 05/2026
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Rural Residence and Mental Health among US Veterans: Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study
Details a study on the effect rurality, social vulnerability, drive time from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities, and VHA utilization have on the mental health of rural veterans. Breaks down data by participants' age, education, and military service, among other measures.
Author(s): Claire A. Kolaja, Javier Villalobos, Julia Seay, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(4), e0346780
Date: 04/2026
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Details a study on the effect rurality, social vulnerability, drive time from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities, and VHA utilization have on the mental health of rural veterans. Breaks down data by participants' age, education, and military service, among other measures.
Author(s): Claire A. Kolaja, Javier Villalobos, Julia Seay, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(4), e0346780
Date: 04/2026
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Peer Recovery Supports for Behavioral Health in Rural Communities
Discusses behavioral health peer recovery support services in rural and agricultural communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for overcoming behavioral health barriers, such as addressing stigma, social isolation, and scarcity of services through community and peer supports.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Discusses behavioral health peer recovery support services in rural and agricultural communities. Highlights innovative and promising practices for overcoming behavioral health barriers, such as addressing stigma, social isolation, and scarcity of services through community and peer supports.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Identification and Characteristics of Under-Resourced and High-Need Rural Counties
Describes how county-level data on healthcare workforce, chronic disease prevalence, and socioeconomic environment of rural communities can help policymakers identify the highest need counties for targeted policy initiatives and public health intervention. Features county-level U.S. maps showing geographic distribution of chronic disease burden, socioeconomic status, physician density, and overall resource need, with shadings showing level of need or nonrural status.
Author(s): Gabriel A. Benavidez, Emma Boswell, Peiyin Hung, Eyram Owusu-Sekyere, Elizabeth Crouch
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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Describes how county-level data on healthcare workforce, chronic disease prevalence, and socioeconomic environment of rural communities can help policymakers identify the highest need counties for targeted policy initiatives and public health intervention. Features county-level U.S. maps showing geographic distribution of chronic disease burden, socioeconomic status, physician density, and overall resource need, with shadings showing level of need or nonrural status.
Author(s): Gabriel A. Benavidez, Emma Boswell, Peiyin Hung, Eyram Owusu-Sekyere, Elizabeth Crouch
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
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