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Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data

Delaying Screening Until Covered? Changes in Lung Cancer Screening at the Age of Nearly-Universal Medicare Insurance
Examines the impact of first-time screening of lung cancer at age 65, the age of nearly universal Medicare insurance coverage. Utilizes 2015-2020 American College of Radiology's Lung Cancer Screening Registry data to analyze differences in screening rates between ages 60-64 and 65-69. Includes additional data breakdowns such as patient demographics, smoking behaviors, eligibility for screening, and rural versus non-rural patient location.
Author(s): Marcelo C. Perraillon, Adam Warren, Lenka Goldman, Jamie L. Studts, Rebecca M. Myerson
Citation: Health Services Research, 61(2), e14638
Date: 05/2025
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Wait Times for Medical Appointments among Adults Age 50 and Older
Reports on wait times and distance to healthcare services in rural and urban communities, utilizing data from a February 2025 survey of 1,012 adults age 50 or older. Breaks down data by level of rurality, type of facility, and type of care provided.
Additional links: Annotated Questionnaire
Author(s): Teresa A. Keenan
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: AARP
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Development of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Across the US Rural–Urban Continuum, 2019–2020
Examines the prevalence of chronic pain across large central metro, large fringe metro, medium and small metro, and nonmetropolitan locations in the United States. Utilizes 2019–2020 National Health Interview Survey Longitudinal Cohort (NHIS-LC) data to analyze the severity of pain by demographic variables, region, and rural versus urban location.
Author(s): Feinuo Sun, Yulin Yang, Richard L. Nahin
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 05/2025
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Assessment of Mental and Physical Health Outcomes over Time in an Integrated Care Setting
Examines the impact of an integrated care setting in rural Louisiana for patients with mental health challenges. Utilizes data from 239 integrated care patients and analyzes various physical health indicators and mental health outcomes.
Author(s): Dependra Bhatta, Monteic A. Sizer, Binod Acharya, Dipendra Banjara
Citation: BMC Primary Care, 26, 181
Date: 05/2025
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Evaluating Spoke Facilitation Costs of Implementing TelePain in the Veterans Health Administration
Examines TelePain and hub-and-spoke healthcare models to treat pain in U.S. veterans. Discusses implementation costs, staffing, patients reached, and potential cost barriers of the model in rural and small clinics.
Author(s): Alexandra L. Rose, Shaina Coogan, Jess Indresano, Steven B. Zeliadt, Jessica A. Chen
Citation: Implementation Science Communications, 6, 51
Date: 05/2025
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Medicaid Plays A Key Role for Maternal and Infant Health in Rural Communities
Explores the role of Medicaid in covering women of childbearing age - 19 through 44 years old - living in small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) on the percentage of women of childbearing age in small towns and rural areas who have Medicaid coverage by state and compares the share of Medicaid coverage to similar women in metropolitan counties. Describes the percentage of women of childbearing age with Medicaid coverage as a share of non-elderly adults with Medicaid across Medicaid expansion states and non-expansion states. Highlights the 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of women of childbearing age covered by Medicaid.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Continuity of Pain Clinic Care among Rural and Urban Veterans
Presents a study exploring the differences in continuity of pain care through the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for rural and urban veterans. Breaks down data by age, sex, pain severity, and behavioral health disorders, among other measures.
Author(s): Katherine Hadlandsmyth, Rena E. Courtney, Jenna L. Adamowicz, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2), e70031
Date: 05/2025
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Prevalence and Predictors of Chronic Disease among Rural and Medically Underserved Populations Using Smokeless Tobacco
Examines chronic disease prevalence and associated risk factors among 532 smokeless tobacco (SLT) cessation intervention participants who live in rural and medically underserved communities. Includes data on chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oral health, and more.
Author(s): Elaine Sang, Susan Silva, Sarah Grenon, et al.
Citation: Frontiers in Public Health, 13, 1565910
Date: 05/2025
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Community Health Centers Are Increasingly Important to Medicare Beneficiaries
Presents data on health center Medicare patient characteristics, service utilization, and revenue between 2019-2023. Compares sociodemographic and health characteristics of health center patients with those of the general Medicare population. Discusses the impact of managed care plans on health center finances.
Author(s): Elizabeth Dutta, Marsha Regenstein, Feygele Jacobs
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Geiger Gibson Program in Community Health
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Emergency Department Boarding, Inpatient Census, and Interhospital Transfer Acceptances
Examines hospital crowding by analyzing associations between emergency department (ED) boarding and inpatient census with interhospital transfer (IHT) acceptances. Utilizes 2019-2023 data from an academic, level I trauma center in a southwestern state to compare urban and rural transfer requests and if the requests were accepted or denied.
Author(s): Margaret Greenwood-Ericksen, Neil Kamdar, Kjirsten Swenson, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(5)
Date: 05/2025
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