Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Research methods and resources
Reporting of Rurality, Deprivation, and Socioeconomic Characteristics in Cancer Clinical Trials A Systematic Review
Examines the frequency in which geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic characteristics are reported in oncology clinical trial publications. Analyzes 441 randomized clinical trial primary reports for reporting of core demographic characteristics, education, insurance status, deprivation index, income, and rurality. Discusses the importance of cancer research that features sociodemographic and geographic breakdowns of data.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(6), e2619836
Date: 06/2026
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Examines the frequency in which geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic characteristics are reported in oncology clinical trial publications. Analyzes 441 randomized clinical trial primary reports for reporting of core demographic characteristics, education, insurance status, deprivation index, income, and rurality. Discusses the importance of cancer research that features sociodemographic and geographic breakdowns of data.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(6), e2619836
Date: 06/2026
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Effective and Cost-Effective Strategies for Recruiting Rural Adults into a Civic Engagement and Health Behavior Change Research Study
Discusses the underrepresentation of rural populations in health research and strategies to improve their participation. Focuses on a community-based health intervention that took place in Texas and New York and includes data showing the cost effectiveness and impact of rural recruitment strategies.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, Meredith L. Graham, Karla L. Hanson, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 26, 2179
Date: 05/2026
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Discusses the underrepresentation of rural populations in health research and strategies to improve their participation. Focuses on a community-based health intervention that took place in Texas and New York and includes data showing the cost effectiveness and impact of rural recruitment strategies.
Author(s): Rebecca A. Seguin-Fowler, Meredith L. Graham, Karla L. Hanson, et al.
Citation: BMC Public Health, 26, 2179
Date: 05/2026
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The Decentralized Academic Health Center: A 21st-Century Model for Rural Health Innovation
Discusses the role of academic health centers in addressing rural health needs and proposes the Decentralized Academic Health Center (D-AHC) model. Compares the traditional model with D-AHC and discusses implementation through teaching and workforce, research and data, clinical partnerships and digital health, community engagement and policy, financial sustainability, and provider and community readiness. Includes a 5-phase roadmap for implementation.
Author(s): Patrick C. Hardigan, Johannes Vieweg
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Discusses the role of academic health centers in addressing rural health needs and proposes the Decentralized Academic Health Center (D-AHC) model. Compares the traditional model with D-AHC and discusses implementation through teaching and workforce, research and data, clinical partnerships and digital health, community engagement and policy, financial sustainability, and provider and community readiness. Includes a 5-phase roadmap for implementation.
Author(s): Patrick C. Hardigan, Johannes Vieweg
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Lessons From Rural Communities: Five Tips for Community-Based Organizations Engaging in Research
Offers 5 considerations for community-based organizations conducting research in rural communities, discussing building networks, considering community needs, centering local knowledge and experiences, measured metrics, and sustainability.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: NIH Community Engagement Alliance
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Offers 5 considerations for community-based organizations conducting research in rural communities, discussing building networks, considering community needs, centering local knowledge and experiences, measured metrics, and sustainability.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: NIH Community Engagement Alliance
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Get Your Bearings on Small Census Geographies
Webinar recording discussing small geographies in the decennial census and American Community Survey. Discusses blocks, block groups, tracts, ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), places, and counties. Transcript included beneath the video player.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Webinar recording discussing small geographies in the decennial census and American Community Survey. Discusses blocks, block groups, tracts, ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs), places, and counties. Transcript included beneath the video player.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Review of Current Research Describing the Influence of Non-Health Care Drivers of Health in Rural and Urban Populations
Summarizes recent research in social determinants of health and associated health conditions in rural and urban populations. Identifies gaps in the literature relevant to rural health, and highlights findings relevant to rural and urban economic stability, education access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and other social and community contexts.
Author(s): Katie Youngen, Julia Cecil, Tyrone F. Borders
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Summarizes recent research in social determinants of health and associated health conditions in rural and urban populations. Identifies gaps in the literature relevant to rural health, and highlights findings relevant to rural and urban economic stability, education access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and other social and community contexts.
Author(s): Katie Youngen, Julia Cecil, Tyrone F. Borders
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Overcoming Challenges with Rural-Related Health Data: Lessons Learned from Published Studies
Offers a systematic review of peer-reviewed, rural health-related studies published between 2019-2022. Identifies strategies that could help address challenges related to rural data.
Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Margaret M. Francisco, Nicole Galler, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Offers a systematic review of peer-reviewed, rural health-related studies published between 2019-2022. Identifies strategies that could help address challenges related to rural data.
Author(s): Casey P. Balio, Margaret M. Francisco, Nicole Galler, et al.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Can a Participant-Referred "Study Buddy" Increase Retention of Rural People Who Use Drugs in Research? A Multi-Site, Randomized Trial
Presents a study exploring the efficacy of an intervention aiming to increase retention of rural people who use drugs (PWUD) participating in randomized trials. Highlights an intervention involving participant recruitment of a support person, or "study buddy", to aid in the their continued participation in the study. Compares the efficacy of this intervention with standard retention practices.
Author(s): April M. Young, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Miriam R. Elman, et al.
Citation: Addiction, 121(4), 894-907
Date: 04/2026
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Presents a study exploring the efficacy of an intervention aiming to increase retention of rural people who use drugs (PWUD) participating in randomized trials. Highlights an intervention involving participant recruitment of a support person, or "study buddy", to aid in the their continued participation in the study. Compares the efficacy of this intervention with standard retention practices.
Author(s): April M. Young, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Miriam R. Elman, et al.
Citation: Addiction, 121(4), 894-907
Date: 04/2026
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Application of Spatial Methods in Rural Cancer Control Research in the United States
Discusses the application of spatial research methods to study rural cancer disparities. Considers rural cancer control research methods such as identification of disease clusters and patterns, spatial accessibility measures, small area estimation techniques, spatial regression, multilevel modeling, and more.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan M. Eberth, Sarah H. Nash, et al.
Citation: Current Epidemiology Reports, 13, 4
Date: 02/2026
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Discusses the application of spatial research methods to study rural cancer disparities. Considers rural cancer control research methods such as identification of disease clusters and patterns, spatial accessibility measures, small area estimation techniques, spatial regression, multilevel modeling, and more.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Jan M. Eberth, Sarah H. Nash, et al.
Citation: Current Epidemiology Reports, 13, 4
Date: 02/2026
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Using Rural-Urban Variables: Considerations for Rural Public Health Research
A tip sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discussing best practices for using rural and urban variables in public health studies. Discusses rural definitions, differences in rural communities, including rural communities in interpretation, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: CDC Office of Rural Health
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A tip sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discussing best practices for using rural and urban variables in public health studies. Discusses rural definitions, differences in rural communities, including rural communities in interpretation, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: CDC Office of Rural Health
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