Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Frequent Police Contact and Nonfatal Overdose among People Who Use Drugs in Rural Appalachia
Explores the relationship between non-fatal overdoses and frequent stop-and-search contact with the police for rural people who use drugs (PWUD) in Kentucky. Breaks down data by participant demographic measures, such as age, sex, housing stability, frequency of police stops, and drug use, among other measures.
Author(s): Javier A. Cepeda, Talia Loeb, Zach R. Salazar, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 284, 113188
Date: 07/2026
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Explores the relationship between non-fatal overdoses and frequent stop-and-search contact with the police for rural people who use drugs (PWUD) in Kentucky. Breaks down data by participant demographic measures, such as age, sex, housing stability, frequency of police stops, and drug use, among other measures.
Author(s): Javier A. Cepeda, Talia Loeb, Zach R. Salazar, et al.
Citation: Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 284, 113188
Date: 07/2026
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Exploring Associations Between Well-Being, Mental Distress, and Five Dimensions of Social Capital in Rural Georgia
Explores the role social capital plays in supporting mental health and well-being in rural communities. Bases findings on surveys collected from residents of 6 rural counties in Georgia. Breaks down findings by rates of mental health and well-being by dimension of social capital: trust, diversity of interactions, reciprocity, civic engagement, and voting.
Author(s): Alexis Joanna Smith, Lauren M Bigger, Robin E McGee, et al.
Citation: Family and Community Health, 49(3), 192-196
Date: 07/2026
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Explores the role social capital plays in supporting mental health and well-being in rural communities. Bases findings on surveys collected from residents of 6 rural counties in Georgia. Breaks down findings by rates of mental health and well-being by dimension of social capital: trust, diversity of interactions, reciprocity, civic engagement, and voting.
Author(s): Alexis Joanna Smith, Lauren M Bigger, Robin E McGee, et al.
Citation: Family and Community Health, 49(3), 192-196
Date: 07/2026
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A Tour of Youth Behavioral Health Services Landscape: Prevalence, Treatment, and the Workforce
Webinar discussing the prevalence of youth mental health conditions, substance use, and treatment in rural areas, the distribution of the youth behavioral health workforce, and the state of Medicaid funding for these services.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Janessa Graves, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Health Research Gateway, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Webinar discussing the prevalence of youth mental health conditions, substance use, and treatment in rural areas, the distribution of the youth behavioral health workforce, and the state of Medicaid funding for these services.
Additional links: Presentation Slides
Author(s): Janessa Graves, Holly Andrilla, Lisa Garberson, et al.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Rural Health Research Gateway, WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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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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Telemedicine Use Among Office-Based Physicians in 2021 and 2024
Offers data showing trends in telehealth utilization by physicians, comparing 2021 and 2024. Includes a comparison between metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and non-MSAs, among other factors.
Author(s): Kelly L. Myrick, Mohsin Mahar, Brian W. Ward
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Offers data showing trends in telehealth utilization by physicians, comparing 2021 and 2024. Includes a comparison between metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and non-MSAs, among other factors.
Author(s): Kelly L. Myrick, Mohsin Mahar, Brian W. Ward
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Effect of Health Literacy on use of a Virtual Coach to Promote Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
Examines health literacy and utilization of a virtual coaching agent to support hypertension management in rural residents. Utilizes data from 59 participants in rural Pennsylvania to monitor frequency of home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) readings and the impact of virtual coaching for HPBM in patients with low health literacy.
Author(s): Chinenye C. Odo, Andrew Mrkva, Erin Shepherd, et al.
Citation: Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 28(6), e70320
Date: 06/2026
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Examines health literacy and utilization of a virtual coaching agent to support hypertension management in rural residents. Utilizes data from 59 participants in rural Pennsylvania to monitor frequency of home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) readings and the impact of virtual coaching for HPBM in patients with low health literacy.
Author(s): Chinenye C. Odo, Andrew Mrkva, Erin Shepherd, et al.
Citation: Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 28(6), e70320
Date: 06/2026
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VA Medical Facility Security: Actions Needed to Address Longstanding Risks
Discusses findings from the Government Accountability Office's work regarding security at Veterans Administration (VA) medical facilities between January 2013 and April 2026. Describes challenges related to the security of its facilities and actions that could help address those challenges. Compares crime rates at VA stations that serve majority urban and majority rural areas.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Discusses findings from the Government Accountability Office's work regarding security at Veterans Administration (VA) medical facilities between January 2013 and April 2026. Describes challenges related to the security of its facilities and actions that could help address those challenges. Compares crime rates at VA stations that serve majority urban and majority rural areas.
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Rural-Urban Disparities in Access to Interventional Psychiatry Treatments among VA Patients
Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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Analyzes how access varies to interventional psychiatry treatments, including electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and medication-assisted psychotherapy, among rural and urban veterans. Uses 2017-2023 VA electronic health record data of veterans with major depressive disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnoses.
Author(s): Brian Shiner, Vincent DuFort, Tayla Peltzman, Bradley V. Watts
Citation: Journal of Rural Mental Health, 50(2), 75-85
Date: 06/2026
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Reasons for Uninsurance among Rural Working-Age U.S. Adults with Histories of Cancer
Analyzes reasons for uninsurance among uninsured, rural-dwelling people with and without a history of cancer, using 2020-2024 National Health Interview Survey data of 1,930 adults aged 18-64. Compares reasons related to cost, eligibility, ability to meet patient needs, and other factors by cancer history and sociodemographic group.
Author(s): Ingrid Jacobson, Wade Swenson, Emily McGovern
Citation: Discover Public Health, 23, 997
Date: 06/2026
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Analyzes reasons for uninsurance among uninsured, rural-dwelling people with and without a history of cancer, using 2020-2024 National Health Interview Survey data of 1,930 adults aged 18-64. Compares reasons related to cost, eligibility, ability to meet patient needs, and other factors by cancer history and sociodemographic group.
Author(s): Ingrid Jacobson, Wade Swenson, Emily McGovern
Citation: Discover Public Health, 23, 997
Date: 06/2026
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New Jersey Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in New Jersey in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in New Jersey in 2025. Includes county-level data.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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