Rural Health
Resources by Topic: People with disabilities
Difficulties in Functioning Among Children in the United States: 2021–2023
Offers data on children with difficulties in functioning between 2021 and 2023. Domains investigated include seeing, hearing, walking, communication, behavior, learning, fine motor, playing, self-care, remembering, concentrating, coping with change, relationships, and affect. Includes comparison by 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Julie D. Weeks, Jennifer H. Madans, Lindsey I. Black, Nazik Elgaddal, Benjamin Zablotsky
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Offers data on children with difficulties in functioning between 2021 and 2023. Domains investigated include seeing, hearing, walking, communication, behavior, learning, fine motor, playing, self-care, remembering, concentrating, coping with change, relationships, and affect. Includes comparison by 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Julie D. Weeks, Jennifer H. Madans, Lindsey I. Black, Nazik Elgaddal, Benjamin Zablotsky
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Rural and Tribal Transit: The Federal Transit Administration Should Evaluate Its Efforts to Help Improve Accessibility and Service
Explores the primary federal funding sources for accessible transit for older adults and people with disabilities for rural and tribal communities. Describes the approaches these communities have used to provide accessible transit, and the challenges they have faced. Discusses how the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have helped communities use funds to improve these transit services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Explores the primary federal funding sources for accessible transit for older adults and people with disabilities for rural and tribal communities. Describes the approaches these communities have used to provide accessible transit, and the challenges they have faced. Discusses how the Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) have helped communities use funds to improve these transit services.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 09/2025
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Navigating Disability Benefits: New Research on Administrative Burden and Work Incentives
A recorded webinar that discusses the difficulty of navigating income support for people with low incomes and/or disabilities. Focuses on supplemental security income (SSI) and social security disability insurance (SSDI) application, eligibility, and work incentives. Includes SSI and SSDI policy challenges for rural residents, such as transportation, digital access, and legal representation.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Debra L. Brucker, Mike Levere, Ramonia Rochester
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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A recorded webinar that discusses the difficulty of navigating income support for people with low incomes and/or disabilities. Focuses on supplemental security income (SSI) and social security disability insurance (SSDI) application, eligibility, and work incentives. Includes SSI and SSDI policy challenges for rural residents, such as transportation, digital access, and legal representation.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Debra L. Brucker, Mike Levere, Ramonia Rochester
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin–Madison Institute for Research on Poverty
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The Impact of Telehealth on Cost and Time Efficiency for Patients With Disabilities During Nonemergency Encounters: A Scoping Review
A scoping review of 2018-2024 studies focused on telehealth and related themes of efficiency, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and increased access to healthcare for people with chronic disabilities. Analyzes 8 studies on telehealth and includes commentary on its effectiveness in rural areas.
Author(s): Kaushalya Mendis, Veda Priya Puligundla, Myles Rosenzweig, et al.
Citation: The Permanente Journal
Date: 08/2025
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A scoping review of 2018-2024 studies focused on telehealth and related themes of efficiency, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and increased access to healthcare for people with chronic disabilities. Analyzes 8 studies on telehealth and includes commentary on its effectiveness in rural areas.
Author(s): Kaushalya Mendis, Veda Priya Puligundla, Myles Rosenzweig, et al.
Citation: The Permanente Journal
Date: 08/2025
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Depressive Symptoms Among Rural Americans
Analyzes characteristics of individuals with depression in rural areas. Utilizes 2024 National Health Interview Survey data and examines metro versus nonmetro demographic profile of individuals with depression as well as their health-related behaviors, physical limitations, and functional impairments.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Analyzes characteristics of individuals with depression in rural areas. Utilizes 2024 National Health Interview Survey data and examines metro versus nonmetro demographic profile of individuals with depression as well as their health-related behaviors, physical limitations, and functional impairments.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 08/2025
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey Chartbook
State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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Disability Pride and Community Connection in Eastern Virginia: The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc.
Case study highlighting the outreach efforts of The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc (dRC), a Center for Independent Living (CIL) in eastern Virginia. Discusses the implementation and outcomes of peer mentoring and community engagement initiatives focused on supporting people with disabilities in underserved areas.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Lillie Greiman, Rayna Sage
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Case study highlighting the outreach efforts of The disAbility Resource Center of the Rappahannock Area, Inc (dRC), a Center for Independent Living (CIL) in eastern Virginia. Discusses the implementation and outcomes of peer mentoring and community engagement initiatives focused on supporting people with disabilities in underserved areas.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Lillie Greiman, Rayna Sage
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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"I Now Have the Freedom to Do What I Want, When I Want, Like Anybody Else": The Impact, Creation, and Management of Transportation Voucher Programs
Explores the impacts and implementation of transportation voucher programs supporting people with disabilities in rural areas via interviews with CIL staff and disabled voucher program participants. Discusses the experiences of rural people with disabilities and highlights benefits and challenges of transportation voucher programs.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Andrew Myers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Explores the impacts and implementation of transportation voucher programs supporting people with disabilities in rural areas via interviews with CIL staff and disabled voucher program participants. Discusses the experiences of rural people with disabilities and highlights benefits and challenges of transportation voucher programs.
Author(s): Luke Santore, Andrew Myers
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Rural Dissemination: Bridging Research and Practice for Aging and Disability Services
A recorded webcast that discusses strategies to ensure aging and disability research reaches hard-to-reach and rural areas. Provides examples of rural research, dissemination methods, and collaborative efforts.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript, Webcast
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research
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A recorded webcast that discusses strategies to ensure aging and disability research reaches hard-to-reach and rural areas. Provides examples of rural research, dissemination methods, and collaborative efforts.
Additional links: Presentation Slides, Transcript, Webcast
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research
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Reflections from Lived Experience: Disability and Public Libraries
Examines disability needs as related to rural public libraries and their services. Focuses on library networking, information resources, outreach, and accessing community resources in rural areas. Discusses library services such as assisting with health insurance and benefits enrollment, social connectedness, transportation needs, and more.
Author(s): Jeff Gutierrez
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Examines disability needs as related to rural public libraries and their services. Focuses on library networking, information resources, outreach, and accessing community resources in rural areas. Discusses library services such as assisting with health insurance and benefits enrollment, social connectedness, transportation needs, and more.
Author(s): Jeff Gutierrez
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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