Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Kansas Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Kansas in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Kansas in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Kansas Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Kansas in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Kansas in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Emergency Dental Care in the ACA Era: Rural–Urban Disparities and Their Association With State Medicaid Policy
Highlights a study exploring the role Medicaid expansion has played in the utilization of emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) among adults in rural and urban areas. Details the rates of ED utilization for NTDCs in rural and urban hospitals in 8 states and explores rates based on states' Medicaid policy.
Author(s): Marvellous A. Akinlotan, Dan Burch, Alva O. Ferdinand
Citation: Public Health Dentistry, 86(1), 99-108
Date: 01/2026
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Highlights a study exploring the role Medicaid expansion has played in the utilization of emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) among adults in rural and urban areas. Details the rates of ED utilization for NTDCs in rural and urban hospitals in 8 states and explores rates based on states' Medicaid policy.
Author(s): Marvellous A. Akinlotan, Dan Burch, Alva O. Ferdinand
Citation: Public Health Dentistry, 86(1), 99-108
Date: 01/2026
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Profile of Georgia's Graduate Medical Education (GME) Graduates FY 2021 - FY 2025: Retention, Specialty, Education, Debt, and Practice Trends
Provides information about graduates of Georgia graduate medical education (GME) programs, using data from 5-year outcome reports and GME exit surveys. Features statistics including demographic area in which graduates intend to practice, with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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Provides information about graduates of Georgia graduate medical education (GME) programs, using data from 5-year outcome reports and GME exit surveys. Features statistics including demographic area in which graduates intend to practice, with breakdowns by 5 levels of population density.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce
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Advancing Rural Cancer Control: A Portfolio Analysis of Research Funded by the National Cancer Institute, 2016–2024
Highlights a study exploring cancer control-focused grants funded by the National Cancer Institute for research opportunities to identify methods to close rural and urban disparities in cancer outcomes. Details rural grants from 2016 to 2024, their healthcare focus, and location of cancer treated.
Author(s): Anna Gaysynsky, Sallie J. Weaver, Robin C. Vanderpool, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70120
Date: 01/2026
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Highlights a study exploring cancer control-focused grants funded by the National Cancer Institute for research opportunities to identify methods to close rural and urban disparities in cancer outcomes. Details rural grants from 2016 to 2024, their healthcare focus, and location of cancer treated.
Author(s): Anna Gaysynsky, Sallie J. Weaver, Robin C. Vanderpool, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70120
Date: 01/2026
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Trends in Cancer Incidence in Younger Adults in the Midwest
Examines cancer incidence and type in adults aged 18-49 and living in the Midwest. Utilizes 2019-2024 National Health Interview Survey data to analyze cancer incidence according to patient demographics, including metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines cancer incidence and type in adults aged 18-49 and living in the Midwest. Utilizes 2019-2024 National Health Interview Survey data to analyze cancer incidence according to patient demographics, including metro versus nonmetro location.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Snapshot of Rural Health in Colorado, 2026
Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Provides an overview of rural health in Colorado. Includes data and statistics on a variety of indicators, such as education, poverty, rural economy, healthcare coverage and access, rural health information technology, behavioral health, oral health, and workforce shortages. Includes five regional snapshots from around the state that are free to download with name and organization affiliation.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Colorado Rural Health Center
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Health Panel Comment Letter - Contract Year 2027 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Programs
Offers comments in response to a November 28, 2025, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, and Medicare Cost Plan programs for contract year 2027. Includes data on trends in chronic condition special need plans (C-SNPs) and institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs) between 2016 and 2025 and MA plan offerings by county metropolitan status.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Offers comments in response to a November 28, 2025, proposed rule regarding policy and technical changes to the Medicare Advantage, Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit, and Medicare Cost Plan programs for contract year 2027. Includes data on trends in chronic condition special need plans (C-SNPs) and institutional special needs plans (I-SNPs) between 2016 and 2025 and MA plan offerings by county metropolitan status.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel
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Policy Brief: Teen Mental Health and School-Based Services in California
Presents data on rural and urban teen mental health and the availability of mental health services in schools in California, and provides recommendations for facilitating mental health service availability and use in schools. See Figure 12 within Full Report for additional data on health expenditures per student by level of rurality.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Public Policy Institute of California
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Presents data on rural and urban teen mental health and the availability of mental health services in schools in California, and provides recommendations for facilitating mental health service availability and use in schools. See Figure 12 within Full Report for additional data on health expenditures per student by level of rurality.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Public Policy Institute of California
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Iowa Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Iowa in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Iowa in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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