Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Mapping Spatial and Social Inequities of Long COVID Across the United States: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Examines spatiotemporal variables and social determinants as correlated with the Omicron variant and long COVID health risk. Analyzes 5,652,474 COVID-19 cases and 41,694 long COVID cases according to year, location, U.S. region, risk level of county, and social determinants, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zhetao Chen, Bingnan Lib, Yewen Chen, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 56, 101401
Date: 04/2026
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Examines spatiotemporal variables and social determinants as correlated with the Omicron variant and long COVID health risk. Analyzes 5,652,474 COVID-19 cases and 41,694 long COVID cases according to year, location, U.S. region, risk level of county, and social determinants, including rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zhetao Chen, Bingnan Lib, Yewen Chen, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 56, 101401
Date: 04/2026
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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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Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Medicare Shared Savings Program Assigned Beneficiaries Among Original Medicare Enrollees
Describes trends of Medicare beneficiaries assigned to Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP) Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Presents data on metropolitan and nonmetropolitan SSP ACO assignment and Medicare Advantage enrollment between 2018 and 2024, as well as the percentage of original Medicare beneficiaries assigned to an ACO in 2024 by metropolitan status and state.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Describes trends of Medicare beneficiaries assigned to Medicare Shared Savings Program (SSP) Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Presents data on metropolitan and nonmetropolitan SSP ACO assignment and Medicare Advantage enrollment between 2018 and 2024, as well as the percentage of original Medicare beneficiaries assigned to an ACO in 2024 by metropolitan status and state.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Expanding the Reach of the Full-Service Community Schools Program
Examines the impact of the U.S. Department of Education's Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grant program to expand community schools in rural and high-poverty areas. Discusses the impact of community schools to provide health and human services supports to students in high-need areas as well as information about and location of new FSCS grantees. Includes data on percentage of 2023 FSCSs that are rural versus non-rural.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Institute of Education Sciences
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Examines the impact of the U.S. Department of Education's Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grant program to expand community schools in rural and high-poverty areas. Discusses the impact of community schools to provide health and human services supports to students in high-need areas as well as information about and location of new FSCS grantees. Includes data on percentage of 2023 FSCSs that are rural versus non-rural.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Institute of Education Sciences
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Long-Term Mortality Trends in Patients with Concurrent Hernia and Diabetes in the United States
Analyzes demographic variations in long-term mortality trends among patients with both hernia and diabetes mellitus as contributing causes of death, using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons by metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area, among other factors.
Author(s): Xiaoyang Shi, Xiao Yu, Yu-Jun Xiong, Tian Lv, Xiaoyong Si
Citation: Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17, 1723074
Date: 02/2026
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Analyzes demographic variations in long-term mortality trends among patients with both hernia and diabetes mellitus as contributing causes of death, using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data. Includes data comparisons by metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area, among other factors.
Author(s): Xiaoyang Shi, Xiao Yu, Yu-Jun Xiong, Tian Lv, Xiaoyong Si
Citation: Frontiers in Endocrinology, 17, 1723074
Date: 02/2026
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Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model Evaluation: Final Report
Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Provides an overview of the Accountable Health Communities (AHC) Model, which tested whether identifying and addressing core health-related social needs (HRSNs) of community-dwelling beneficiaries improves health outcomes, reduces healthcare costs, and reduces unnecessary healthcare utilization. Describes the AHC Model's impacts on key outcomes for Medicaid, FFS Medicare, and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries through December 2023 and final lessons learned.
Additional links: Executive Summary, Findings at a Glance
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, RTI International
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Visual Impairment and Blindness among Illinoisans, Metro vs. Nonmetro
Examines visual impairment in Illinois utilizing data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2024 Area Health Resources File. Provides data breakdowns of visual impairment prevalence by county as well as a comparison of metro versus nonmetro availability of optometrists and ophthalmologists.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines visual impairment in Illinois utilizing data from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the 2024 Area Health Resources File. Provides data breakdowns of visual impairment prevalence by county as well as a comparison of metro versus nonmetro availability of optometrists and ophthalmologists.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Mental Health Treatment among Adults Who Had Serious Thoughts of Suicide
Offers 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data showing adults that received mental health treatment and had thoughts of suicide. Includes a breakdown by county type at the large metropolitan, small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan levels.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Offers 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data showing adults that received mental health treatment and had thoughts of suicide. Includes a breakdown by county type at the large metropolitan, small metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan levels.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
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Telehealth Use for Primary Care Visits Has Stabilized, with Higher Use in Metropolitan Areas and Among Non-English Speakers
Analyzes the use of primary care telehealth over time using Epic Cosmos data. Includes graphs showing change in utilization from July 2024 to October 2025 by patient rurality, among other demographics.
Author(s): Kersten Bartelt, Emily Higgs, Louis Kazaglis, Eric Barkley
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Epic Research
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Analyzes the use of primary care telehealth over time using Epic Cosmos data. Includes graphs showing change in utilization from July 2024 to October 2025 by patient rurality, among other demographics.
Author(s): Kersten Bartelt, Emily Higgs, Louis Kazaglis, Eric Barkley
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Epic Research
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Availability of Higher-Level Neonatal Care in Rural and Urban US Hospitals, 2010-2022
A research letter that discusses the availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural and urban hospitals. Analyzes changes in intermediate or intensive neonatal care availability between 2010 and 2022 in 3,257 U.S. birth hospitals according to rurality.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Clara E. Busse, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2559680
Date: 02/2026
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A research letter that discusses the availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural and urban hospitals. Analyzes changes in intermediate or intensive neonatal care availability between 2010 and 2022 in 3,257 U.S. birth hospitals according to rurality.
Author(s): Katy B. Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Clara E. Busse, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(2), e2559680
Date: 02/2026
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