Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Evaluating the Impact of Online Learning: Indiana University Mental and Behavioral Health Programs
Examines mental and behavioral health (MBH) workforce pipelines in Indiana with a focus on post-secondary online degree programs. Includes percentage of rural versus urban students in online programs as well as county-level percentages of students enrolled in an online MBH program.
Author(s): Mykayla Moore, Hannah Maxey
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Examines mental and behavioral health (MBH) workforce pipelines in Indiana with a focus on post-secondary online degree programs. Includes percentage of rural versus urban students in online programs as well as county-level percentages of students enrolled in an online MBH program.
Author(s): Mykayla Moore, Hannah Maxey
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Bowen Center for Health Workforce Research and Policy
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Washington State's Anesthesia Workforce
Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Provides an overview of the anesthesia care workforce in Washington State as well as a literature review related to anesthesia workforce quality and gaps. Focuses on training, career pathways, scope of practice, licensure, and employment data. Examines county-level and rural versus urban data on healthcare sites, services, and healthcare professionals providing anesthesia care. Includes workforce analyses of a variety of healthcare professionals working in anesthesia, such as nurses, oral healthcare workers, physicians, and physician assistants.
Additional links: Anesthesiologist Assistants Occupational Brief, Anesthesiologists Occupational Brief, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists Occupational Brief, Dental Anesthesia Assistants Occupational Brief, Dentists Occupational Brief, Physician Assistants Occupational Brief
Author(s): Paula M. Kett, Kyla F. Woodward, Samantha W. Pollack, et al.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Health Workforce Studies
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Rural Transit Fact Book, 2025
Features national-, state-, and county-level information on rural transit in the United States. Includes rural and urban comparisons on demographics and transportation. Provides information for agencies receiving section 5311 funding and includes a section on tribal transit.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Del Peterson
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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Features national-, state-, and county-level information on rural transit in the United States. Includes rural and urban comparisons on demographics and transportation. Provides information for agencies receiving section 5311 funding and includes a section on tribal transit.
Author(s): Jeremy Mattson, Del Peterson
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute
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2025 Workforce Survey Report: The Status of Kentucky's Hospital Workforce
Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2024. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Provides an in-depth look at non-physician direct care positions in inpatient or hospital-related outpatient departments in Kentucky as of 2024. Includes statistics on vacancies, benefits, and pay, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Maik Schutze
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kentucky Hospital Association
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Lifespan Exposures to Rural-Urban Conditions and Later-Life Cognitive Function
Examines associations between rural or urban residence during childhood and adulthood and cognitive outcomes, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia, among older adults, utilizing 2016 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) data of 3496 individuals aged 65 years or older.
Author(s): Lingzhi Chu, Yingyan Wu, Heidi Karjalainen, Olivia E Atherton
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21(6), e70267
Date: 06/2025
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Examines associations between rural or urban residence during childhood and adulthood and cognitive outcomes, including mild cognitive impairment and dementia, among older adults, utilizing 2016 Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol (HCAP) data of 3496 individuals aged 65 years or older.
Author(s): Lingzhi Chu, Yingyan Wu, Heidi Karjalainen, Olivia E Atherton
Citation: Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21(6), e70267
Date: 06/2025
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Traffic Safety Facts, 2023 Data: Speeding
Contains information on speeding-related and non-speeding-related fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Features statistics on rates of injury and death, sex and age group of speeding drivers, previous 5-year driving records of speeding drivers, alcohol involvement, time of day and weekday or weekend, roadway surface condition, and roadway function class, with breakdowns including interstate rural and non-interstate rural.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Contains information on speeding-related and non-speeding-related fatal and non-fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Features statistics on rates of injury and death, sex and age group of speeding drivers, previous 5-year driving records of speeding drivers, alcohol involvement, time of day and weekday or weekend, roadway surface condition, and roadway function class, with breakdowns including interstate rural and non-interstate rural.
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Worker Displacement in Appalachia: Using Detailed Industry and Firm Data to Link the Displaced Worker Supplement to Appalachia
Examines worker displacement and its impact in the Appalachian region of the United States. Includes a literature review as well as demographic, employment, and county-level characteristics and experiences of displaced workers. Provides comparisons of metro versus nonmetro areas and discusses health and well-being impacts of displacement.
Author(s): Erin Kenney, Teresa M. Lynch
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Examines worker displacement and its impact in the Appalachian region of the United States. Includes a literature review as well as demographic, employment, and county-level characteristics and experiences of displaced workers. Provides comparisons of metro versus nonmetro areas and discusses health and well-being impacts of displacement.
Author(s): Erin Kenney, Teresa M. Lynch
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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The Appalachian Region: A Data Overview from the 2019-2023 American Community Survey Chartbook
State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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State- and county-level information on population, age, household characteristics, housing occupancy, education, labor force, employment, transportation, income, health insurance coverage, disability, and veteran status, for the 13 Appalachian states. Features statistics with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density. Includes data explorer options for Appalachian categories such as population and age, education, income and poverty, computer and broadband access, rural Appalachia versus rural America, and employment and commuting.
Additional links: Full Report
Author(s): Sara Srygley, Nurfadila Khairunnisa, Diana Elliott
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Appalachian Regional Commission, Population Reference Bureau
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Inpatient Psychiatric Unit Availability Within US Short-Term, Acute-Care Hospitals, 2011-2023
Examines the availability of inpatient psychiatric units (IPUs) and the impact of COVID-19 on short-term psychiatric care in hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) data to examine changes in IPU availability according to rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Colleen M. McCullough, Ji Eun Chang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(6)
Date: 06/2025
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Examines the availability of inpatient psychiatric units (IPUs) and the impact of COVID-19 on short-term psychiatric care in hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) data to examine changes in IPU availability according to rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Colleen M. McCullough, Ji Eun Chang, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(6)
Date: 06/2025
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The Workforce Outcomes of Physicians Completing Residency Training in North Carolina in 2017, 2018, and 2019
Analyzes the number and percent of residency and fellowship program graduates who completed training in 2017, 2018, and 2019 who were in practice in North Carolina and in rural areas 5 years after residency or fellowship graduation. Also examines the number and percent of physicians who completed residency training in North Carolina who were in practice in North Carolina 5 years after training for 7 high need specialties.
Author(s): Evan Galloway, Brianna Lombardi, Erin P. Fraher
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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Analyzes the number and percent of residency and fellowship program graduates who completed training in 2017, 2018, and 2019 who were in practice in North Carolina and in rural areas 5 years after residency or fellowship graduation. Also examines the number and percent of physicians who completed residency training in North Carolina who were in practice in North Carolina 5 years after training for 7 high need specialties.
Author(s): Evan Galloway, Brianna Lombardi, Erin P. Fraher
Date: 06/2025
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
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