Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
America's Health Rankings 2026 Health of Women and Children Report
Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Provides a national and state-by-state overview of the health of infants, children, and women of reproductive age. Compares rural-urban differences in maternal mortality, severe maternal morbidity, healthcare access, substance use, mental health conditions, and more among reproductive-age women and children at the national level. Includes maps that show concentrated disadvantage by county within each state.
Additional links: Concentrated Disadvantage by County, State Summaries
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: United Health Foundation
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Cancer Risk Factors, Screening, and Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation Across the U.S. Urban-to-Frontier Continuum
Presents a study on geographic variation in cancer risk behaviors and screening across the metropolitan-to-frontier continuum. Identifies demographic characteristics and cancer-related behaviors and screening access in rural, urban, and frontier areas. Explores rates of alcohol use, tobacco use, and physical activity, among other factors, by geography.
Author(s): Brody Gibson, Laurie Grieshober, Rachel M Ceballos, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs, lgag021
Date: 10/2026
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Presents a study on geographic variation in cancer risk behaviors and screening across the metropolitan-to-frontier continuum. Identifies demographic characteristics and cancer-related behaviors and screening access in rural, urban, and frontier areas. Explores rates of alcohol use, tobacco use, and physical activity, among other factors, by geography.
Author(s): Brody Gibson, Laurie Grieshober, Rachel M Ceballos, et al.
Citation: Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs, lgag021
Date: 10/2026
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Rural and Urban Health Center Patients and Financing
Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Reports on rural and urban community health centers' revenue sources, patient demographics, and patient health insurance coverage using 2025 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. Includes an interactive map showing shares of child and adult rural health center patients covered by Medicaid by state.
Author(s): Akash Pillai, Jennifer Tolbert
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Medical Debt and Advanced Cancer Stage at Diagnosis
Explores how medical debt burden is associated with incidence of 9 common cancers at the county level, using 2017-2021 data from multiple national datasets. Includes comparisons of medical debt prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Jiazhang Xing, Xuesong Han, Xin Hu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2637508
Date: 10/2026
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Explores how medical debt burden is associated with incidence of 9 common cancers at the county level, using 2017-2021 data from multiple national datasets. Includes comparisons of medical debt prevalence in rural versus urban counties.
Author(s): Jiazhang Xing, Xuesong Han, Xin Hu, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(10), e2637508
Date: 10/2026
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Rural and Urban Differences in the Trends in Supply of Home Care Workers From 2015 to 2024
Examines how the supply of direct care workers varies by rural or urban location using 2015-2024 American Community Survey data. Includes data comparisons by pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods.
Author(s): Diogo Miguel Goncalves Fortes, Katherine Miller
Citation: Journal of Applied Gerontology
Date: 10/2026
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Examines how the supply of direct care workers varies by rural or urban location using 2015-2024 American Community Survey data. Includes data comparisons by pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic periods.
Author(s): Diogo Miguel Goncalves Fortes, Katherine Miller
Citation: Journal of Applied Gerontology
Date: 10/2026
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Regional Highlights: Changes in Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in the US, 2010-2024
Describes changes in availability of obstetric services at hospitals in the 4 U.S. census regions, including hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Describes changes in availability of obstetric services at hospitals in the 4 U.S. census regions, including hospitals that lost obstetric services and the percentage of all hospitals without obstetric services. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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The Financial Impact of Pregnancy and Childbirth Among Louisiana Medicaid Beneficiaries
Examines the relationship between pregnancy and financial health of women in Louisiana. Analyzes 2017-2020 Medicaid claims data and credit reports of 76,468 patients and provides breakdowns of credit scores, medical debt, and nonmedical debt by demographics, pregnancy status, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Brigham Walker, Ethan Tsai, Andrew Anderson, Melissa Evans, Kevin Callison
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(5), e70166
Date: 10/2026
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Examines the relationship between pregnancy and financial health of women in Louisiana. Analyzes 2017-2020 Medicaid claims data and credit reports of 76,468 patients and provides breakdowns of credit scores, medical debt, and nonmedical debt by demographics, pregnancy status, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Brigham Walker, Ethan Tsai, Andrew Anderson, Melissa Evans, Kevin Callison
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(5), e70166
Date: 10/2026
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Medicare Payment Basics: Skilled Nursing Facility Services Payment System
Overview of Medicare payments for skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Describes what constitutes a skilled nursing facility and how small, rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may be used to provide these services with CMS approval. Compares Medicare daily base rates for urban and rural skilled nursing facilities.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Overview of Medicare payments for skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Describes what constitutes a skilled nursing facility and how small, rural hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) may be used to provide these services with CMS approval. Compares Medicare daily base rates for urban and rural skilled nursing facilities.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Geographic Access to Triple Negative Breast Cancer Clinical Trials: Are Trials Located Near Patients?
Examines how geographic proximity to clinical trials for triple-negative breast cancer varies by county-level characteristics using September 2024 ClinicalTrials.gov data. Includes comparisons by rurality, among other demographic and geographic characteristics.
Author(s): Laura Burns Amin, M. Kelsey Kirkwood, Laura A. Levit, et al.
Citation: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 219, 22
Date: 09/2026
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Examines how geographic proximity to clinical trials for triple-negative breast cancer varies by county-level characteristics using September 2024 ClinicalTrials.gov data. Includes comparisons by rurality, among other demographic and geographic characteristics.
Author(s): Laura Burns Amin, M. Kelsey Kirkwood, Laura A. Levit, et al.
Citation: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 219, 22
Date: 09/2026
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Wisconsin State Opioid Response 4 Year Two: Statewide Annual Report
Provides information on the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) grant awarded in 2024 and focused on expanding access to treatment and recovery services for opioid and stimulant use disorder in Wisconsin, supporting training of peer support services, increasing the number of providers offering medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and raising awareness related to OUD. Utilizes data from clients who completed the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) GPRA Client Outcome Measures tool from 2025 to 2026 and reports on treatment needs, recovery, telehealth, and recovery housing. Compares client experiences in rural versus urban counties.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
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Provides information on the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) grant awarded in 2024 and focused on expanding access to treatment and recovery services for opioid and stimulant use disorder in Wisconsin, supporting training of peer support services, increasing the number of providers offering medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and raising awareness related to OUD. Utilizes data from clients who completed the State Opioid Response 4 (SOR-4) GPRA Client Outcome Measures tool from 2025 to 2026 and reports on treatment needs, recovery, telehealth, and recovery housing. Compares client experiences in rural versus urban counties.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute
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