Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Populations
State Innovations in Improving Access to Care for Adults with Complex Needs in Rural Communities
Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Discusses Medicaid policy and financing strategies that can help improve rural delivery systems and access to care for rural older adults, people with disabilities, and others with complex health and social needs. Describes effective approaches undertaken in California, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Virginia across three promising strategies. Identifies four factors critical to successful program design and implementation and key considerations for states.
Author(s): Molly Knowles, Nida Enehizena, Gretchen Bell, Ellen Breslin
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Care Strategies
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Building Rural Capacity to Navigate Population and Economic Change
Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Discusses how rural communities and tribal nations gather and apply community resources in response to population change and economic shifts, and the role of Rural Development Hubs in facilitating capacity-building. Includes a case study from Hazard, Kentucky.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Aspen Institute
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Veteran Satisfaction With Lung Cancer Screening Care: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation
Examines how satisfaction with lung cancer screening varied among rural and nonrural veterans receiving care at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers between 2018 and 2021, using survey data of 689 veterans. Includes data on how other demographic and clinical factors, including smoking status, influence satisfaction with care.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Lewis, Amber J. Hackstadt, Kathryn D. Snyder, et al.
Citation: Medical Care
Date: 07/2026
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Examines how satisfaction with lung cancer screening varied among rural and nonrural veterans receiving care at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers between 2018 and 2021, using survey data of 689 veterans. Includes data on how other demographic and clinical factors, including smoking status, influence satisfaction with care.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Lewis, Amber J. Hackstadt, Kathryn D. Snyder, et al.
Citation: Medical Care
Date: 07/2026
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A Profile of Dual-Eligible Individuals
Presents data on the demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics of dual-eligible individuals in 2023. Compares dual-eligible individuals' characteristics with those of Medicare beneficiaries without Medicaid. Includes data on urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Abby Wolk, Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Alice Burns
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Presents data on the demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics of dual-eligible individuals in 2023. Compares dual-eligible individuals' characteristics with those of Medicare beneficiaries without Medicaid. Includes data on urban and rural residence.
Author(s): Abby Wolk, Nancy Ochieng, Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, Alice Burns
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Train Rural, Work Rural: The Potential for Advanced Fellowships in Addressing Rural VA Healthcare Workforce Shortages
Explores the potential of professional training programs to increase recruitment and retention of the healthcare workforce in rural Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. Bases findings on a survey of current VHA fellowships on whether they would be applicable to rural areas. Breaks down data by fellowship program, rurality of program site, and demographics of participating fellows.
Author(s): Kathleen L. Carluzzo, Linda M. Kinney, Bradley V. Watts, Karen E. Schifferdecker
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70188
Date: 07/2026
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Explores the potential of professional training programs to increase recruitment and retention of the healthcare workforce in rural Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities. Bases findings on a survey of current VHA fellowships on whether they would be applicable to rural areas. Breaks down data by fellowship program, rurality of program site, and demographics of participating fellows.
Author(s): Kathleen L. Carluzzo, Linda M. Kinney, Bradley V. Watts, Karen E. Schifferdecker
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70188
Date: 07/2026
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Improving Access to Medicare Home Health Care: Key Policy Considerations
Highlights themes from interviews with 20 policy experts on home health agencies to identify factors contributing to declines in use of Medicare home health services. Discusses payment models, Medicare Advantage, workforce shortages, and family caregivers. Offers policy measures that may increase home health utilization.
Author(s): Barbara Lyons, Jane Andrews
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Highlights themes from interviews with 20 policy experts on home health agencies to identify factors contributing to declines in use of Medicare home health services. Discusses payment models, Medicare Advantage, workforce shortages, and family caregivers. Offers policy measures that may increase home health utilization.
Author(s): Barbara Lyons, Jane Andrews
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: Commonwealth Fund
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Food Service Directors' Knowledge and Beliefs About Ultraprocessed Foods in California's San Joaquin Valley Schools
Examines food service director (FSD) perspectives on ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) while planning meals for schools in the largely rural San Joaquin Valley of California. Utilizes interview data from 20 FSDs and discusses themes such as healthfulness of UPFs, scratch-cooked foods versus UPFs, and reasons for including or not including UPFs in school menus.
Author(s): Anjali Gupta, Alix Zuceth Duran Gomez, Donna Matheson, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 07/2026
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Examines food service director (FSD) perspectives on ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) while planning meals for schools in the largely rural San Joaquin Valley of California. Utilizes interview data from 20 FSDs and discusses themes such as healthfulness of UPFs, scratch-cooked foods versus UPFs, and reasons for including or not including UPFs in school menus.
Author(s): Anjali Gupta, Alix Zuceth Duran Gomez, Donna Matheson, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 07/2026
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Defining Veteran Rurality: An Analysis of the U.S. Veterans Health Administration Rural–Urban Taxonomy
Examines the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) "Categorization B" rural–urban taxonomies and changes to drive time estimates to VHA care as determined by these taxonomies. Analyzes drive time across RUCA codes, Categorization B designation, and VHA designation. Discusses VHA rural and highly rural designations and the importance of aligning rural definitions to the VHA's access-to-care priorities.
Author(s): Diana J. Govier, Travis I. Lovejoy, Sarah S. Ono, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70182
Date: 07/2026
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Examines the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) "Categorization B" rural–urban taxonomies and changes to drive time estimates to VHA care as determined by these taxonomies. Analyzes drive time across RUCA codes, Categorization B designation, and VHA designation. Discusses VHA rural and highly rural designations and the importance of aligning rural definitions to the VHA's access-to-care priorities.
Author(s): Diana J. Govier, Travis I. Lovejoy, Sarah S. Ono, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70182
Date: 07/2026
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Access to WIC-Authorized Vendors and High-Speed Internet Services in Urban and Rural Areas
Examines the availability Internet services across geographies that enable Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) eligible families to access online WIC shopping options. Utilizes data from 38,279 WIC-authorized vendors during fiscal years 2020-2022 and provides U.S. maps showing census tract-level access to WIC-authorized vendors, access to WIC-authorized vendors and fixed high-speed Internet, and access to WIC-authorized vendors and 5G mobile high-speed Internet. Includes rural versus urban census tract comparisons of adequate Internet access and distance to nearest WIC-authorized vendor.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Leslie Hodges, John Pender, David Marquardt, Anna Shetler, Joanne Guthrie
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines the availability Internet services across geographies that enable Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) eligible families to access online WIC shopping options. Utilizes data from 38,279 WIC-authorized vendors during fiscal years 2020-2022 and provides U.S. maps showing census tract-level access to WIC-authorized vendors, access to WIC-authorized vendors and fixed high-speed Internet, and access to WIC-authorized vendors and 5G mobile high-speed Internet. Includes rural versus urban census tract comparisons of adequate Internet access and distance to nearest WIC-authorized vendor.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): Leslie Hodges, John Pender, David Marquardt, Anna Shetler, Joanne Guthrie
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Voices From the Field: Informing Maternal Child Health Navigator Training Through Rural Practice Insights
Presents a study on Maternal-Child Health (MCH) Navigators on their perception of their preparedness for providing trauma-informed care, substance use support, and addressing drivers of health in rural Texas communities. Explores MCH Navigators' assessment of the efficacy of their training and real-world experience to prepare them for the maternal health challenges in rural communities.
Author(s): Sharon L. Dormire, Cassidy S. Doucet, Nydia Garcia, Robin Page
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 17
Date: 07/2026
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Presents a study on Maternal-Child Health (MCH) Navigators on their perception of their preparedness for providing trauma-informed care, substance use support, and addressing drivers of health in rural Texas communities. Explores MCH Navigators' assessment of the efficacy of their training and real-world experience to prepare them for the maternal health challenges in rural communities.
Author(s): Sharon L. Dormire, Cassidy S. Doucet, Nydia Garcia, Robin Page
Citation: Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, 17
Date: 07/2026
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