Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Populations
Cardiovascular Mortality Risk After Cancer Diagnosis by County‐Level Characteristics in the United States 2000–2021
Examines how cardiovascular disease mortality among cancer survivors differs by county rural or urban status, persistent poverty, and racial composition, using 2000-2021 SEER 17 Registries data.
Author(s): Yenan Zhu, Ryan Suk, Yueh‐Yun Lin, Young‐Rock Hong, Beth Virnig
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(3), e71675
Date: 02/2026
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Examines how cardiovascular disease mortality among cancer survivors differs by county rural or urban status, persistent poverty, and racial composition, using 2000-2021 SEER 17 Registries data.
Author(s): Yenan Zhu, Ryan Suk, Yueh‐Yun Lin, Young‐Rock Hong, Beth Virnig
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 15(3), e71675
Date: 02/2026
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Examination of Driver License Renewal Policies and Older Driver Crash and Injury Rates by Rurality
Examines the impact of driver license renewal policies on older adult motor-vehicle safety. Utilizes 2000-2019 crash data and license renewal policies to analyze crash and driver injury rates according to driver age, state, injury severity, license renewal restrictiveness, rural versus urban residence, and more.
Author(s): Cara J. Hamann, Jonathan A. Davis, Gilsu Pae, et al.
Citation: Journal of Safety Research, 96, 357-362
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the impact of driver license renewal policies on older adult motor-vehicle safety. Utilizes 2000-2019 crash data and license renewal policies to analyze crash and driver injury rates according to driver age, state, injury severity, license renewal restrictiveness, rural versus urban residence, and more.
Author(s): Cara J. Hamann, Jonathan A. Davis, Gilsu Pae, et al.
Citation: Journal of Safety Research, 96, 357-362
Date: 02/2026
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Developing Rural & Multi-State Kinship Navigator Programs: Lessons, Models & Opportunities
A recorded webinar that describes the Kinship Navigator Collaborative (KNC), a collaboration among Maine, Montana, Vermont, and Wyoming to serve kinship families and children in foster care. Discusses successful partnership models between rural states, funding strategies, and evaluation tips. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Travis Bryant, Gabby McGuire, Chandra Ortiz, Peyton Vining
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center
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A recorded webinar that describes the Kinship Navigator Collaborative (KNC), a collaboration among Maine, Montana, Vermont, and Wyoming to serve kinship families and children in foster care. Discusses successful partnership models between rural states, funding strategies, and evaluation tips. Transcript available below description.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Travis Bryant, Gabby McGuire, Chandra Ortiz, Peyton Vining
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center
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Association Between Social Determinants of Health and Cardiovascular Risk in Pregnant Women, United States
Examines the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) in pregnant women and the social determinants of health (SDOH). Utilizes 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey data and analyzes CVH risk according to patient demographics, health behaviors, social determinants, rural residence, and more.
Author(s): Shazia Shaukat, Jennifer Horney, Xiaopeng Ji, Christine Hoch, Lauren Covington
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 02/2026
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Examines the relationship between cardiovascular health (CVH) in pregnant women and the social determinants of health (SDOH). Utilizes 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment and Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey data and analyzes CVH risk according to patient demographics, health behaviors, social determinants, rural residence, and more.
Author(s): Shazia Shaukat, Jennifer Horney, Xiaopeng Ji, Christine Hoch, Lauren Covington
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 02/2026
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Alaska Missed Opportunities to Protect American Indian and Alaska Native Children Missing from Foster Care
Examines the extent to which extent to which the Alaska Office of Children's Services (OCS) agency took required steps to protect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children before, during, and after children went missing or ran away from foster care. Discusses the experiences of OCS and the children's Tribes in collaborating when children are missing from foster care. Offers recommendations for how the Administration and Children and Families can support Alaska improving compliance and addressing gaps presented in this report.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines the extent to which extent to which the Alaska Office of Children's Services (OCS) agency took required steps to protect American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children before, during, and after children went missing or ran away from foster care. Discusses the experiences of OCS and the children's Tribes in collaborating when children are missing from foster care. Offers recommendations for how the Administration and Children and Families can support Alaska improving compliance and addressing gaps presented in this report.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Willingness of Older Adults to Travel for Medical Care
Presents results from a survey of 2650 adults aged 65 years and older on their willingness to travel for primary care, specialty care, and one-time diagnostic appointments. See Table 3 for metro-nonmetro data comparisons, among other demographic data breakdowns.
Author(s): Jeremy Burke, Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Wei Ye, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2560280
Date: 02/2026
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Presents results from a survey of 2650 adults aged 65 years and older on their willingness to travel for primary care, specialty care, and one-time diagnostic appointments. See Table 3 for metro-nonmetro data comparisons, among other demographic data breakdowns.
Author(s): Jeremy Burke, Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Wei Ye, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2560280
Date: 02/2026
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State Medicaid & CHIP Toolkit for Children's Behavioral Health Services and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) Requirements
Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Fourteen of Thirty Selected Indian Health Service and Rural Providers Did Not Comply or May Not Have Complied With Terms and Conditions and Federal Requirements for Expending Provider Relief Fund Payments
Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Examines whether 30 selected Indian Health Service (IHS) and rural providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments spent funds in accordance with Federal and program requirements. Describes unallowable and potentially unallowable expenditures and inaccurately calculated or unsupported lost revenues and their causes. Presents recommendations for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and HRSA's response.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part One
A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Additional links: Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part Two
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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A podcast episode featuring stakeholders of a public-private partnership in Georgia focused on improving access to pediatric care in rural areas of the state. Discusses strategies such as addressing the rural healthcare provider pipeline, improving access to subspeciality collaboration, providing rural training opportunities for medical students, and more.
Additional links: Rebuilding Georgia's Rural Pediatric Pipeline: Part Two
Author(s): Tom Haederle, Elisa Arespacochaga, Marc Welsh, Jean Sumner
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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COVID-19 Antiviral Prescription Receipt Among Outpatients Aged ≥65 Years — United States, June 1, 2023–September 30, 2025
Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on factors associated with receiving an antiviral prescription among adults aged 65 years or older diagnosed with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. Includes data for urban and rural locations.
Author(s): Julia Raykin, Ilia Rochin, Ryan Wiegand, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(6), 69-76
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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