Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Populations
Supporting Rural Older Adults in Home and Community-Based Settings: Perspectives from Area Agencies on Aging
Explores the needs of older adults living in rural communities who are homebound. Presents findings and themes from a July 2025 listening session with representatives from rural-serving Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) from five states regarding challenges serving rural older adults who are homebound.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Jessica Machler, Megan Lahr, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Explores the needs of older adults living in rural communities who are homebound. Presents findings and themes from a July 2025 listening session with representatives from rural-serving Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) from five states regarding challenges serving rural older adults who are homebound.
Author(s): Katie Rydberg, Jessica Machler, Megan Lahr, Carrie Henning-Smith
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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2026 Kids Count Data Book: State Trends in Child Well-Being
Reports on the trends in overall child wellness, economic well-being, education, health, and family and community support for children nationwide. Includes state-by-state comparisons for each category.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Reports on the trends in overall child wellness, economic well-being, education, health, and family and community support for children nationwide. Includes state-by-state comparisons for each category.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Annie E. Casey Foundation
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2024 Data: Children
Fact sheet containing information on fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving children 14 years of age and younger. Includes statistics on child traffic fatality rates per 100,000 child population and fatality rates by age group from 2015-2024, passenger vehicle occupants by survival status, age group, and restraint use in 2024, driver's blood alcohol level in fatal crashes, and percentages of child pedestrian and child pedalcyclist fatalities with breakdowns by urban and rural location. Features tables with child fatalities by state and age group in 2023.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Fact sheet containing information on fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes involving children 14 years of age and younger. Includes statistics on child traffic fatality rates per 100,000 child population and fatality rates by age group from 2015-2024, passenger vehicle occupants by survival status, age group, and restraint use in 2024, driver's blood alcohol level in fatal crashes, and percentages of child pedestrian and child pedalcyclist fatalities with breakdowns by urban and rural location. Features tables with child fatalities by state and age group in 2023.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Endocrine-Disrupting Pesticides and Breast Cancer Incidence in the United States: An Ecological Analysis
Examines associations between endocrine-disrupting pesticide usage and breast cancer incidence at the county level, using 2001-2015 U.S. Geological Survey Pesticide National Synthesis Project and 2016-2020 NCI State Cancer Profiles data. Includes rural-urban data comparisons.
Author(s): Harish Neelam, Furqan Irfan, Robert Wahl, Kelly A. Hirko
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37, 104
Date: 06/2026
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Examines associations between endocrine-disrupting pesticide usage and breast cancer incidence at the county level, using 2001-2015 U.S. Geological Survey Pesticide National Synthesis Project and 2016-2020 NCI State Cancer Profiles data. Includes rural-urban data comparisons.
Author(s): Harish Neelam, Furqan Irfan, Robert Wahl, Kelly A. Hirko
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37, 104
Date: 06/2026
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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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Bridging The Gap CoC: Homeless Point-in-Time Count January 25, 2026
Report offering point-in-time data on the homeless population in Hawaii's rural Hawaii, Kaua`i, and Maui counties. Discusses trends over time for various populations including veterans, children, families, people with substance use disorder, and more. See Dashboards for additional data.
Additional links: Dashboards
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Bridging the Gap, Ka Mana O Na Helu
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Report offering point-in-time data on the homeless population in Hawaii's rural Hawaii, Kaua`i, and Maui counties. Discusses trends over time for various populations including veterans, children, families, people with substance use disorder, and more. See Dashboards for additional data.
Additional links: Dashboards
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Bridging the Gap, Ka Mana O Na Helu
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2025 Pennsylvania Farm Fatal Injury Summary
Summarizes data related to farm fatal injuries in Pennsylvania in 2025. Includes statistics on victim demographics, types of injuries, and events leading to fatal injuries, and features a county-level map showing numbers of farm fatalities.
Author(s): Florence Becot
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Penn State Extension
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Summarizes data related to farm fatal injuries in Pennsylvania in 2025. Includes statistics on victim demographics, types of injuries, and events leading to fatal injuries, and features a county-level map showing numbers of farm fatalities.
Author(s): Florence Becot
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Penn State Extension
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The 2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress
Presents a point-in-time estimate of the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in January 2025. Explores national estimates on homeless individuals, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. Provides data on homelessness trends over time, demographics of homeless individuals, sheltered individuals, and differences by geography.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Presents a point-in-time estimate of the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in January 2025. Explores national estimates on homeless individuals, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. Provides data on homelessness trends over time, demographics of homeless individuals, sheltered individuals, and differences by geography.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Victimization At and Away From School Among Students Ages 12 to 18, 2013-2023 - Statistical Tables
Describes theft and nonfatal violent victimization rates among students aged between 12 and 18 both at and away from school between 2013 and 2023. 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 2013 and 2023. 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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How Do Changes in Medicare Reimbursement for Mental Health Services Impact Access for Rural Older Adults?
Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
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Examines how policies allowing marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) to independently bill Medicare have impacted mental healthcare access among Medicare beneficiaries living in rural areas. Utilizes interview data from 14 leaders representing rural health systems and mental health organizations regarding their perceptions on mental healthcare access, Medicare reimbursement policy, and the inclusion of MFTs and MHCs as mental health providers for Medicare recipients.
Author(s): Natalia V. Oster, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Davis G. Patterson, Signe Burchim, Janessa M. Graves
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70162
Date: 05/2026
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