Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
How Do Services Offered Within Opioid Treatment Programs Vary Based on State Methadone Policies?
Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
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Examines the availability of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in various states as well as access to medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) options, psychosocial services, and housing supports. Analyzes 1,501 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and their characteristics, including state restrictiveness, services offered, facility type, rurality, and more.
Author(s): Zoe Lindenfeld, Noa Krawczyk, Erin A. Taylor, Denis Agniel, Jonathan H. Cantor
Citation: Journal of Substance Use & Addiction Treatment, 190, 210062
Date: 11/2026
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Veterans Affairs Clinical Resource Hub Improve Access to Mental Health Services for Rural Veterans
Evaluates 627,436 telemental health service encounters over 5 years with rural veterans to determine the impact of 18 Clinical Resource Hubs on access to mental healthcare. Discusses how utilization of telemental health services increased over the 5 years, trends in modality types, and mental health diagnoses, in addition to other demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Erin Jaske, Chelle L. Wheat, Bradford Felker, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 32(10), 995-1002
Date: 10/2026
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Evaluates 627,436 telemental health service encounters over 5 years with rural veterans to determine the impact of 18 Clinical Resource Hubs on access to mental healthcare. Discusses how utilization of telemental health services increased over the 5 years, trends in modality types, and mental health diagnoses, in addition to other demographic characteristics.
Author(s): Erin Jaske, Chelle L. Wheat, Bradford Felker, et al.
Citation: Telemedicine and e-Health, 32(10), 995-1002
Date: 10/2026
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September 2026 MedPAC Meeting Transcript
Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2026 meeting. Covers the context for Medicare payment policy, issues relating to Medicare Part D and potential policy directions, MedPAC's work plan regarding ambulatory surgical centers, the use of post-acute care services by beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Advantage risk adjustment at the plan level.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Transcript from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) September 2026 meeting. Covers the context for Medicare payment policy, issues relating to Medicare Part D and potential policy directions, MedPAC's work plan regarding ambulatory surgical centers, the use of post-acute care services by beneficiaries in fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Advantage risk adjustment at the plan level.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
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Snapshot of Indian Health Service Sanitation Facilities Construction Projects Funded Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Describes how the Indian Health Service (IHS) used funds it received under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the IHS Sanitation Facilities Construction (SFC) Program between fiscal years 2022 and 2025. Identifies challenges that IHS faced to administer SFC Program projects and actions taken by IHS Area Offices and tribes to address those challenges.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Describes how the Indian Health Service (IHS) used funds it received under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the IHS Sanitation Facilities Construction (SFC) Program between fiscal years 2022 and 2025. Identifies challenges that IHS faced to administer SFC Program projects and actions taken by IHS Area Offices and tribes to address those challenges.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Local Food Procurement Pathways: Key Drivers of Farm to School Participating Authorities Buying Directly From Farmers
Examines the factors impacting school food authorities' (SFAs) decisions when procuring local foods through Farm to School (F2S) programs. Analyzes trends in F2S procurement from 2018 to 2023, local food infrastructure, and SFA funding, sourcing, procuring, and serving of local foods. Includes supply chain data, use of local vendors, and procurement characteristics by SFA size and rural versus urban location.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): D. Adeline Yeh, Ashley Spalding, Christine Sauer, et al.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Examines the factors impacting school food authorities' (SFAs) decisions when procuring local foods through Farm to School (F2S) programs. Analyzes trends in F2S procurement from 2018 to 2023, local food infrastructure, and SFA funding, sourcing, procuring, and serving of local foods. Includes supply chain data, use of local vendors, and procurement characteristics by SFA size and rural versus urban location.
Additional links: Report Summary
Author(s): D. Adeline Yeh, Ashley Spalding, Christine Sauer, et al.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Unmasking the Rural Substance Use Burden: The Need to Move Beyond Macro-Level Data in Substance Use Policy and Planning
Brief examines health-related differences and service gaps of rural, non-rural, and national communities to better understand substance use trends in order to inform policies and interventions in rural communities. Bases findings on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and details rates of opioid, stimulant, vape, and alcohol use in rural and urban areas in 2023 and 2024.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Brief examines health-related differences and service gaps of rural, non-rural, and national communities to better understand substance use trends in order to inform policies and interventions in rural communities. Bases findings on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and details rates of opioid, stimulant, vape, and alcohol use in rural and urban areas in 2023 and 2024.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Technical Assistance
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Medicare Advantage: Plan Options and Enrollment Trends in Arkansas
Explains how Medicare Advantage plans affect healthcare delivery, Medicare enrollment, and payment practices in Arkansas. Includes discussion of reimbursement challenges in rural hospitals.
Author(s): Jennifer Wessel, Chris Ray
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
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Explains how Medicare Advantage plans affect healthcare delivery, Medicare enrollment, and payment practices in Arkansas. Includes discussion of reimbursement challenges in rural hospitals.
Author(s): Jennifer Wessel, Chris Ray
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Arkansas Center for Health Improvement
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Associations of Rurality, Child Opportunity, and Distance with Use of Pediatric Asthma Specialists
Examines the relationship among rurality, child opportunity index (COI), and drive time to a pediatric asthma specialist. Utilizes 2015-2021 Maine Health Data Organization All-Payer Claims Data to analyze 12,014 children with a pediatric asthma referral according to patient demographics and health status, drive time to a specialist, COI, and metro, micro, small town, or isolated small rural location. Discusses disparities in access to asthma specialty care for rural children.
Author(s): James Bohnhoff, Anya Cutler, Elizabeth A. Jacobs, Wanda Phipatanakul, Yvonne Jonk
Citation: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 158(3), 751-757
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the relationship among rurality, child opportunity index (COI), and drive time to a pediatric asthma specialist. Utilizes 2015-2021 Maine Health Data Organization All-Payer Claims Data to analyze 12,014 children with a pediatric asthma referral according to patient demographics and health status, drive time to a specialist, COI, and metro, micro, small town, or isolated small rural location. Discusses disparities in access to asthma specialty care for rural children.
Author(s): James Bohnhoff, Anya Cutler, Elizabeth A. Jacobs, Wanda Phipatanakul, Yvonne Jonk
Citation: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 158(3), 751-757
Date: 09/2026
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Exploring Potential Predictors and Mediators of Marijuana Use Among US Women: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach
Examines variables related to marijuana use among U.S. adult women who reported marijuana use in the last year. Utilizes 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to analyze marijuana use with breakdowns according to sociodemographic variables, criminal history, binge drinking, and nonmetropolitan, small metropolitan, or large metropolitan county location.
Author(s): Elfreda Samman, Wah Wah Myint, Gabrielle Torres-Coley, Aishatu Yusuf
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Examines variables related to marijuana use among U.S. adult women who reported marijuana use in the last year. Utilizes 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to analyze marijuana use with breakdowns according to sociodemographic variables, criminal history, binge drinking, and nonmetropolitan, small metropolitan, or large metropolitan county location.
Author(s): Elfreda Samman, Wah Wah Myint, Gabrielle Torres-Coley, Aishatu Yusuf
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Fatigue Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
Analyzes the prevalence of fatigue and related functioning difficulties and work or social limitations by demographic group, using 2024 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. See Table 2 for comparisons of frequency of fatigue by level of rurality, among other demographics.
Author(s): Natalie A. E. Young, Julie D. Weeks, Nazik Elgaddal
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Analyzes the prevalence of fatigue and related functioning difficulties and work or social limitations by demographic group, using 2024 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. See Table 2 for comparisons of frequency of fatigue by level of rurality, among other demographics.
Author(s): Natalie A. E. Young, Julie D. Weeks, Nazik Elgaddal
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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