Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Nicotine and Tobacco Product Use among US Youth in 10th and 12th Grade, 2023–2025: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
Examines trends in youth nicotine, tobacco, and multi-product co-use. Utilizes 2023-2025 survey data from 10th and 12th graders and analyzes lifetime use and past 30-day use of various nicotine and tobacco products according to grade, demographics, parent education, and school location of urban, suburban/town, or rural.
Author(s): Dayoung Bae, Junhan Cho, Alyssa F. Harlow, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 65, 101673
Date: 01/2027
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Examines trends in youth nicotine, tobacco, and multi-product co-use. Utilizes 2023-2025 survey data from 10th and 12th graders and analyzes lifetime use and past 30-day use of various nicotine and tobacco products according to grade, demographics, parent education, and school location of urban, suburban/town, or rural.
Author(s): Dayoung Bae, Junhan Cho, Alyssa F. Harlow, et al.
Citation: The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, 65, 101673
Date: 01/2027
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The Association of Hospital Characteristics With Medicaid Managed Care Hospital Prices
Examines the relationship between hospital characteristics and Medicaid facility prices for routine procedures. Utilizes 2021-2023 facility claims data from Elevance Health-affiliated Medicaid plans, alongside American Hospital Directory data, to compare prices by Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and children's hospital status, ownership (for-profit, religiously affiliated, or government), teaching status, system affiliation, rurality, and size.
Author(s): Brett Alfrey, Benjamin Ukert, Aliza S. Gordon
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(6), e70178
Date: 12/2026
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Examines the relationship between hospital characteristics and Medicaid facility prices for routine procedures. Utilizes 2021-2023 facility claims data from Elevance Health-affiliated Medicaid plans, alongside American Hospital Directory data, to compare prices by Critical Access Hospital (CAH) and children's hospital status, ownership (for-profit, religiously affiliated, or government), teaching status, system affiliation, rurality, and size.
Author(s): Brett Alfrey, Benjamin Ukert, Aliza S. Gordon
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(6), e70178
Date: 12/2026
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Evaluating the Feasibility of Implementing School Staff Well-Being Programs
Examines the School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health (SWITCH) initiative that focuses on supplemental staff well-being programming. Analyzes staff feedback from 6 majority rural schools that participated in 2 years of programming and provides data on perceptions of well-being programming, such as quality, effectiveness, impact, feasibility, and more.
Author(s): Jimmy Duhamahoro, Angela M. Tuttle Prince, Spyridoula Vazou, Sally S. DuBois, Gregory J. Welk
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(11), e70286
Date: 11/2026
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Examines the School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health (SWITCH) initiative that focuses on supplemental staff well-being programming. Analyzes staff feedback from 6 majority rural schools that participated in 2 years of programming and provides data on perceptions of well-being programming, such as quality, effectiveness, impact, feasibility, and more.
Author(s): Jimmy Duhamahoro, Angela M. Tuttle Prince, Spyridoula Vazou, Sally S. DuBois, Gregory J. Welk
Citation: Journal of School Health, 96(11), e70286
Date: 11/2026
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The State of Mental Health in America 2026
Report presents data on mental health and substance use for youth and adults across all 50 states. Highlights barriers to mental health wellness, such as lack of mental healthcare coverage, mental health workforce shortages, and cost of treatment, among other factors. Discusses some challenges specific to rural communities.
Author(s): Maddy Reinert
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
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Report presents data on mental health and substance use for youth and adults across all 50 states. Highlights barriers to mental health wellness, such as lack of mental healthcare coverage, mental health workforce shortages, and cost of treatment, among other factors. Discusses some challenges specific to rural communities.
Author(s): Maddy Reinert
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Mental Health America
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Rural Health Transformation State Scorecards: Budget Period 1
Provides an overview of each state's progress implementing the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) through July 31, 2026. Reflects information reported by states in their Year 1 RHTP Annual Reports. Covers the status of state policy actions, Make Rural America Healthy Again state policy commitments, and the speed at which the state has implemented RHTP initiatives based on the number of checkpoints completed. Includes the amount of RHTP funding each state received for budget periods 1 and 2.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of each state's progress implementing the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) through July 31, 2026. Reflects information reported by states in their Year 1 RHTP Annual Reports. Covers the status of state policy actions, Make Rural America Healthy Again state policy commitments, and the speed at which the state has implemented RHTP initiatives based on the number of checkpoints completed. Includes the amount of RHTP funding each state received for budget periods 1 and 2.
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Policy Impact of the Rural Emergency Hospital Designation: A Mixed Methods Study of Leaders' Conversion Experiences and Motivations
Presents a study on the financial profile and other factors affecting the decision to convert rural hospitals to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Explores financial factors like days of cash on hand, total unreimbursed costs, and total capital purchases, among others, and discusses the challenges of converting to an REH.
Author(s): Christopher Wiggs, Dunc Williams Jr., Kevin Wiley
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70240
Date: 11/2026
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Presents a study on the financial profile and other factors affecting the decision to convert rural hospitals to a Rural Emergency Hospital (REH) designation. Explores financial factors like days of cash on hand, total unreimbursed costs, and total capital purchases, among others, and discusses the challenges of converting to an REH.
Author(s): Christopher Wiggs, Dunc Williams Jr., Kevin Wiley
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70240
Date: 11/2026
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Personal Networks and Cognitive Health Across Rural–Urban Contexts
Analyzes the role of social bridging in aging-related cognitive decline among adults in rural versus urban areas, using interview data of 509 Indiana adults aged 55 and older interviewed between November 2023 and March 2024 as part of the Social Environment and Cognitive Health in Urban and Rural Areas study.
Author(s): Siyun Peng, Brea L. Perry, Adam R. Roth
Citation: The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 81(Suppl 3), S265-S274
Date: 11/2026
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Analyzes the role of social bridging in aging-related cognitive decline among adults in rural versus urban areas, using interview data of 509 Indiana adults aged 55 and older interviewed between November 2023 and March 2024 as part of the Social Environment and Cognitive Health in Urban and Rural Areas study.
Author(s): Siyun Peng, Brea L. Perry, Adam R. Roth
Citation: The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 81(Suppl 3), S265-S274
Date: 11/2026
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Distribution and Accessibility of Board-Certified Pharmacists: A Cross-Sectional Geospatial Study
Examines the composition, accessibility, and geographic distribution of board-certified pharmacists (BCPs) in the United States. Uses 2026 Board of Pharmacy Specialties data to analyze distribution of BCPs by specialty, state, and metropolitan, micropolitan, or small town/rural location. Includes county-level U.S. maps showing distribution of BCPs as well as BCP density per 100,000 residents.
Author(s): Krystal K. Haase, Eric J. MacLaughlin, Amanda N. Charlton
Citation: Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 9(11), e70318
Date: 11/2026
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Examines the composition, accessibility, and geographic distribution of board-certified pharmacists (BCPs) in the United States. Uses 2026 Board of Pharmacy Specialties data to analyze distribution of BCPs by specialty, state, and metropolitan, micropolitan, or small town/rural location. Includes county-level U.S. maps showing distribution of BCPs as well as BCP density per 100,000 residents.
Author(s): Krystal K. Haase, Eric J. MacLaughlin, Amanda N. Charlton
Citation: Journal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, 9(11), e70318
Date: 11/2026
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Molecular Testing Among Patients With Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer in the Rural US
Explores factors associated with molecular testing among older adults with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as age, dual Medicaid and Medicare enrollment, Part D coverage, and visits with specialists. Analyzes data from a cohort of 8,259 NSCLC patients in rural areas between 2014-2019.
Author(s): Dena P. Rhinehart, Evelien van Gelderen, Josephine Feliciano, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(11), e2642270
Date: 11/2026
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Explores factors associated with molecular testing among older adults with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as age, dual Medicaid and Medicare enrollment, Part D coverage, and visits with specialists. Analyzes data from a cohort of 8,259 NSCLC patients in rural areas between 2014-2019.
Author(s): Dena P. Rhinehart, Evelien van Gelderen, Josephine Feliciano, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(11), e2642270
Date: 11/2026
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Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update, 2026
Reports on the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location and plan type, from 2016-2026. Discusses how policy changes may have influenced MA enrollment dynamics.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Reports on the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location and plan type, from 2016-2026. Discusses how policy changes may have influenced MA enrollment dynamics.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 11/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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