Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Populations
Pain in the Nation 2026: The Epidemics of Alcohol, Drug, and Suicide Deaths
Report focuses on alcohol, drug, and mortality statistics and trends, with a special feature on suicide and well-being in the United States. Includes data on substance use and mortality, with U.S. maps showing overdose and suicide rates, breakdowns according to metro versus nonmetro location, and state-by-state statistical trends. Provides policy recommendations to address substance use and offers examples from rural areas.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Lauren Battle
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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Report focuses on alcohol, drug, and mortality statistics and trends, with a special feature on suicide and well-being in the United States. Includes data on substance use and mortality, with U.S. maps showing overdose and suicide rates, breakdowns according to metro versus nonmetro location, and state-by-state statistical trends. Provides policy recommendations to address substance use and offers examples from rural areas.
Author(s): Molly Warren, Lauren Battle
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Trust for America's Health
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A Study Pursuant to (Pennsylvania) Senate Resolution 27: Feasibility of a No-Fault Catastrophic Loss Fund for Birth-Related Neurological Injuries
Results of a study on the possibility of establishing a fund for claims brought due to birth-related neurological injuries in Pennsylvania. Discusses the disparity between obstetric care in urban and rural areas and the decreased access to maternity care due to closures of labor and delivery (L&D) units. Contains various statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing availability of L&D units and travel times to birthing hospitals.
Author(s): Stevi Sprenkle, Stephen Kramer, Shanika Mitchell-Saint Jean, Amy Hockenberry, James Wynne
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Legislative Budget and Finance Committee of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
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Results of a study on the possibility of establishing a fund for claims brought due to birth-related neurological injuries in Pennsylvania. Discusses the disparity between obstetric care in urban and rural areas and the decreased access to maternity care due to closures of labor and delivery (L&D) units. Contains various statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas, and county-level maps showing availability of L&D units and travel times to birthing hospitals.
Author(s): Stevi Sprenkle, Stephen Kramer, Shanika Mitchell-Saint Jean, Amy Hockenberry, James Wynne
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Legislative Budget and Finance Committee of the Pennsylvania General Assembly
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Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC)
Discusses the Veterans Health Administration's Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC) Enterprise-Wide Initiative, which uses mobile labs to deliver lab services to rural veterans. Highlights program impacts, including veteran satisfaction with mobile prosthetic and orthotic care.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Discusses the Veterans Health Administration's Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC) Enterprise-Wide Initiative, which uses mobile labs to deliver lab services to rural veterans. Highlights program impacts, including veteran satisfaction with mobile prosthetic and orthotic care.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Alaska Commission on Aging Senior Snapshot: Older Alaskans in 2025
Offers data on older adults in Alaska, discussing demographics, economics, health conditions, living arrangements, and more. Describes participation in 2 rural-focused AmeriCorps Seniors Program service tracks as well as Older Americans Act Title III and VI Programs.
Author(s): Marty Lange, Yasmin Radbod
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Commission on Aging
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Offers data on older adults in Alaska, discussing demographics, economics, health conditions, living arrangements, and more. Describes participation in 2 rural-focused AmeriCorps Seniors Program service tracks as well as Older Americans Act Title III and VI Programs.
Author(s): Marty Lange, Yasmin Radbod
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Alaska Commission on Aging
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Victimization At and Away From School Among Students Ages 12 to 18, 2014-2024 - Statistical Tables
Describes theft and nonfatal violent victimization rates among students aged between 12 and 18 both at and away from school between 2014 and 2024. Compares rural, suburban, and urban data in Table 1 and Appendix Tables 7 and 9.
Author(s): Erin Tinney
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Justice
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Describes theft and nonfatal violent victimization rates among students aged between 12 and 18 both at and away from school between 2014 and 2024. Compares rural, suburban, and urban data in Table 1 and Appendix Tables 7 and 9.
Author(s): Erin Tinney
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Justice
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Preliminary Birth Report Kansas, 2025
Provides 2025 county-level data on live births and maternal age in Kansas, with further breakdowns by frontier, rural, densely-settled rural, semi-urban, and urban location.
Author(s): David Oakley, Christina Smith
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Department of Health and Environment
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Provides 2025 county-level data on live births and maternal age in Kansas, with further breakdowns by frontier, rural, densely-settled rural, semi-urban, and urban location.
Author(s): David Oakley, Christina Smith
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Department of Health and Environment
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Rural‐Urban and Racial‐Ethnic Differences in Tele‐Behavioral Health Access for Medicaid Beneficiaries
Examines how rural versus urban and racial and ethnic tele-behavioral health access varied before and during the early COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico, using March 2019-March 2021 Medicaid claims data. Includes data comparisons of telehealth and in-person visits by demographic group, type of behavioral health service received, and level of broadband connectivity.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, Mohammed Quazi, Chloe Slator, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70155
Date: 05/2026
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Examines how rural versus urban and racial and ethnic tele-behavioral health access varied before and during the early COVID-19 pandemic in New Mexico, using March 2019-March 2021 Medicaid claims data. Includes data comparisons of telehealth and in-person visits by demographic group, type of behavioral health service received, and level of broadband connectivity.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, Mohammed Quazi, Chloe Slator, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70155
Date: 05/2026
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Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening among Alaska Native Peoples Living in Remote Areas of Alaska: A Multitarget Stool DNA Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Presents a study evaluating the efficacy of different colorectal cancer screening (CRC) outreach approaches to address high CRC rates among Alaska Native communities in remote areas of Alaska. Compares the outcomes of high-intensity outreach and medium-intensity outreach on patients' likelihood of participating in a CRC screening either by multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) or colonoscopy.
Author(s): Diana Redwood, Christie Flanagan, Lauren Jeffries, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 27(1), 303
Date: 05/2026
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Presents a study evaluating the efficacy of different colorectal cancer screening (CRC) outreach approaches to address high CRC rates among Alaska Native communities in remote areas of Alaska. Compares the outcomes of high-intensity outreach and medium-intensity outreach on patients' likelihood of participating in a CRC screening either by multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) or colonoscopy.
Author(s): Diana Redwood, Christie Flanagan, Lauren Jeffries, et al.
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 27(1), 303
Date: 05/2026
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Tribal Health, Medicaid, and Child Welfare: Supporting Behavioral Health and Traditional Healing
A 3-part series that discusses the collaboration of tribal health, Medicaid, and child welfare systems and the subsequent benefits for Native American and Alaska Native children and families. Includes examples on how to integrate traditional healing practices into behavioral health services.
Author(s): Anne Smithey, Jahira Sterling, Ruby Goyal-Carkeek
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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A 3-part series that discusses the collaboration of tribal health, Medicaid, and child welfare systems and the subsequent benefits for Native American and Alaska Native children and families. Includes examples on how to integrate traditional healing practices into behavioral health services.
Author(s): Anne Smithey, Jahira Sterling, Ruby Goyal-Carkeek
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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A Pilot Evaluation of a Telemedicine Pharmacist-Physician Management Model to Increase Access to Medication for Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorders for Rural Veterans
Explores the efficacy of a pilot project connecting rural veterans with alcohol and opioid use disorder to evidence-based treatment via a telehealth-based pharmacist-physician management model (PPMM). Program was administered by six Veterans Health Administration (VHA) primary care community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). Breaks down data by participant age, sex, substances used, and mental health disorders, among other measures.
Author(s): Amy J. Kennedy, Madeline C. Frost, Carol A. Malte, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70158
Date: 05/2026
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Explores the efficacy of a pilot project connecting rural veterans with alcohol and opioid use disorder to evidence-based treatment via a telehealth-based pharmacist-physician management model (PPMM). Program was administered by six Veterans Health Administration (VHA) primary care community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs). Breaks down data by participant age, sex, substances used, and mental health disorders, among other measures.
Author(s): Amy J. Kennedy, Madeline C. Frost, Carol A. Malte, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70158
Date: 05/2026
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