Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Populations

The VA Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative: A Qualitative Evaluation Guided by the RE-AIM Framework
Discusses the design, implementation, and outcomes of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Rural Interprofessional Faculty Development Initiative (RIFDI) via mid-program, program end, and post-program interview excerpts and survey data of RIFDI participants. Details impacts of RIFDI on rural clinician-educators and broader rural health workforce recruitment and retention.
Author(s): Sarah Keithly, Paige Perry, Erica J. Ho, et al.
Citation: BMC Medical Education, 26, 215
Date: 01/2026
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Snapshot of Rural Health in Colorado, 2026
Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Building Regional Strength: A Call to Action: Four Principles for Supporting Rural Development Hubs
Discusses the importance of the Rural Development Hub model and details effective strategies for governments, philanthropies, and rural development practitioners to engage effectively with Rural Development Hub funding, collaboration, and technical support. Includes information relevant to rural and tribal health foundations and healthcare providers.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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The North Central Quality Childcare Network: Innovative Approaches to Growing Quality Childcare
A recorded webinar that discusses the impact of childcare shortages on local economies. Examines the North Central Quality Childcare (NCQC) Network and its impact on promoting quality child care in rural North Central Region communities. Transcript available below description.
Author(s): Amy Napoli, Courtney Aldrich, Rae Baker, Aileen Garcia, Kelsie Muller
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Policy Brief: Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California
Presents data on rural and urban teen mental health and the availability of mental health services in schools in California, and provides recommendations for facilitating mental health service availability and use in schools. See Figure 12 within Full Report for additional data on health expenditures per student by level of rurality.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Public Policy Institute of California
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Bridging the Gap: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a New Rural Maternity Care Center Amid Nationwide Closures
Examines healthcare quality and access following the reopening of a maternity care center at a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) in a rural community that experienced a maternity unit closure. Includes data comparisons of rural maternity care center (MCC) versus suburban tertiary care center patient demographics, delivery outcomes, and patient experiences. Discusses policy efforts to improve access to rural maternal health.
Author(s): Kathryn Wouk, Ellen Chetwynd, Emily C. Sheffield, et al.
Citation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(1),102
Date: 01/2026
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Integrating Substance Use Disorder Prevention with Physical Health Care: Progress in States
Discusses how states can integrate substance use disorder (SUD) prevention with physical healthcare, including examples of integration activities that are applicable to rural settings. Highlights opportunities for behavioral health integration aimed at serving adolescents aged 12-18. Includes a rural case study example of a school-based health center SUD prevention program in Oregon.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Caregiver Perceptions of USDA Rural Non-Congregate Summer Meals for Children in California
Presents results of survey on the benefits, accessibility, and practicality of SUN Meals To-Go, a USDA rural non-congregate summer meal program, in California among caregivers of children who received services in the summer of 2024. Provides data and interview excerpts highlighting caregiver perspectives.
Author(s): Emily Patten, J. Mitchell Vaterlaus, Lori A. Spruance, et al.
Citation: Nutrients, 18(2), 270
Date: 01/2026
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Molecular and Socioeconomic Characteristics of Inflammatory Breast Cancer in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study
Examines associations between the incidence of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) and demographic and clinical factors, including rurality, utilizing Carolina Breast Cancer Study data of 153 cases of IBC.
Author(s): Qichen Wang, Sarah C. Van Alsten, Xiaojia Ji, et al.
Citation: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 215(2), 61
Date: 01/2026
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Compounding Hazards Posed by Wildfires, Flooding, and Resource Extraction: Assessing Multimedia Metal(loid) Exposures and Risk in Rural, Southwestern U.S. Populations
Examines the impact of weather events, resource extraction, and dust exposure on cancer risk in rural communities in Arizona. Utilizes a community-based study and data from multiple sampling sites to analyze child and adult exposure to hazardous elements.
Author(s): Zain Alabdain Alqattan, God'sgift N. Chukwuonye, Camille Tinerella, Miriam Jones, Mónica D. Ramírez-Andreotta
Citation: Environment International, 207, 110034
Date: 01/2026
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