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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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Reported Rural Drug Overdoses Decline 40 Percent in One Year (Pennsylvania)
Compares rates of drug overdoses in 2023 and 2024 in rural and urban areas of Pennsylvania. Features statistics on reported drug overdose rates per 100,000 during these years, percent of rural and urban residents receiving naloxone in 2023 and 2024, demographic information on rural overdose victims, and a county-level map showing percent change in reported overdoses by county.
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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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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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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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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South Carolina Registered Nurse Workforce - 2022
Profiles the demographic and workplace characteristics of the registered nurse (RN) workforce in South Carolina, using data provided by nurses during their 2022 license renewal period. Features statistics on the change in the size of the South Carolina RN workforce from 2012-2022 and characteristics of this workforce, with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and nonmetropolitan location.
Author(s): Melissa Fluharty, Cate Campbell, K. Gaul
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
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South Carolina Nurse Practitioner Workforce - 2022
Profiles the demographic and workplace characteristics of the nurse practitioner (NP) workforce in South Carolina, using data provided by NPs during their 2022 license renewal period. Features statistics on the change in the size of the South Carolina NP workforce from 2012-2022 and characteristics of this workforce, with breakdowns by metropolitan, micropolitan, and nonmetropolitan location.
Author(s): Cate Campbell, K. Gaul
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
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The Social Work Workforce in South Carolina - 2021
Profiles the demographic and workplace characteristics of the clinical social work workforce in South Carolina, using data provided by clinical social workers during their 2021 license renewal period. Features statistics including numbers and percentages of clinical social workers in South Carolina, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas.
Author(s): Ashlyn Chastain-Brown, Bo Fu, K. Gaul
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium
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