Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Medicare Advantage Enrollment Update 2025
Reports on the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location and plan type, from 2015-2025.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Fred Ullrich, Dan M. Shane, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Reports on the percentage of rural Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan location and plan type, from 2015-2025.
Author(s): Edmer Lazaro, Fred Ullrich, Dan M. Shane, Keith Mueller
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Exploring USDA Rural Development Programs
Reports on USDA Rural Development programs and funding provided, with data for select topics by region, year, and investment type. Covers programs related to economic development, housing, community facilities, energy, infrastructure, and more.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha, James C. Davis, Robert Dinterman
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on USDA Rural Development programs and funding provided, with data for select topics by region, year, and investment type. Covers programs related to economic development, housing, community facilities, energy, infrastructure, and more.
Author(s): Anil Rupasingha, James C. Davis, Robert Dinterman
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Why Are Massachusetts Opioid Prescribing Rates Higher in Rural Versus Urban Areas?
Examines opioid prescribing trends in Massachusetts according to metro versus nonmetro patient characteristics, facility and provider availability, opioid supply and demand, and more. Utilizes 2010-2014 Massachusetts All-Payer Claims (MAPC) data and discusses the factors that lead to geographic differences in opioid prescribing.
Author(s): Alicia Sasser Modestino, Gary J. Young, Mahmudul Hasan, Jiesheng Shi, Noor E. Alam
Citation: PLoS One, 21(5), e0349247
Date: 05/2026
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Examines opioid prescribing trends in Massachusetts according to metro versus nonmetro patient characteristics, facility and provider availability, opioid supply and demand, and more. Utilizes 2010-2014 Massachusetts All-Payer Claims (MAPC) data and discusses the factors that lead to geographic differences in opioid prescribing.
Author(s): Alicia Sasser Modestino, Gary J. Young, Mahmudul Hasan, Jiesheng Shi, Noor E. Alam
Citation: PLoS One, 21(5), e0349247
Date: 05/2026
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When Ambulances Wait at the Emergency Department: Hospital Factors and Offload times in California
Analyzes ambulance patient offload time (APOT) between emergency medical services (EMS) and 310 emergency departments (ED) in California in 2022 to determine associations with hospital characteristics including rurality and number of ED treatment stations. The study data precedes a 2023 state law establishing statewide standards for APOT and so aims to offer baseline metrics for understanding policy impact.
Author(s): Esmeralda Melgoza, Madeline Fedmeier, Crystal Chen, Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez, Renee Y. Hsia
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Analyzes ambulance patient offload time (APOT) between emergency medical services (EMS) and 310 emergency departments (ED) in California in 2022 to determine associations with hospital characteristics including rurality and number of ED treatment stations. The study data precedes a 2023 state law establishing statewide standards for APOT and so aims to offer baseline metrics for understanding policy impact.
Author(s): Esmeralda Melgoza, Madeline Fedmeier, Crystal Chen, Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez, Renee Y. Hsia
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Equine-Related Injuries in Rural Oklahoma: A 10-Year Experience Emphasizing Genitourinary Trauma
Examines how equine-related injuries differed by mechanism, location, genitourinary injury prevalence, and severity in Oklahoma, using May 2015 through December 2025 trauma registry data on 259 injuries. Discusses how predominantly rural activities including ranching and recreation influence horse-related injury prevalence.
Author(s): James Charles, Vsevolod Shurkhay, Jianqiang Huo, et al.
Citation: World Journal of Urology, 44(1), 378
Date: 05/2026
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Examines how equine-related injuries differed by mechanism, location, genitourinary injury prevalence, and severity in Oklahoma, using May 2015 through December 2025 trauma registry data on 259 injuries. Discusses how predominantly rural activities including ranching and recreation influence horse-related injury prevalence.
Author(s): James Charles, Vsevolod Shurkhay, Jianqiang Huo, et al.
Citation: World Journal of Urology, 44(1), 378
Date: 05/2026
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Geographic Variation in Amputations for Medicare Patients With Diabetic Lower-Extremity Wounds
Examines the factors and geographic variations related to amputations for patients with diabetic lower-extremity (DLE) wounds. Examines 707,971 recorded DLE wounds in Medicare patients according to patient characteristics, area deprivation, rurality, specialty care availability, and more. Includes U.S. heat maps showing percentage of amputations, wound management program availability, and podiatrist supply treating DLE wounds according to hospital referral region (HRR).
Author(s): Ioana Popescu, Helin Hernandez, Gabriela Plasencia, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(5), e2613616
Date: 05/2026
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Examines the factors and geographic variations related to amputations for patients with diabetic lower-extremity (DLE) wounds. Examines 707,971 recorded DLE wounds in Medicare patients according to patient characteristics, area deprivation, rurality, specialty care availability, and more. Includes U.S. heat maps showing percentage of amputations, wound management program availability, and podiatrist supply treating DLE wounds according to hospital referral region (HRR).
Author(s): Ioana Popescu, Helin Hernandez, Gabriela Plasencia, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(5), e2613616
Date: 05/2026
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The Decentralized Academic Health Center: A 21st-Century Model for Rural Health Innovation
Discusses the role of academic health centers in addressing rural health needs and proposes the Decentralized Academic Health Center (D-AHC) model. Compares the traditional model with D-AHC and discusses implementation through teaching and workforce, research and data, clinical partnerships and digital health, community engagement and policy, financial sustainability, and provider and community readiness. Includes a 5-phase roadmap for implementation.
Author(s): Patrick C. Hardigan, Johannes Vieweg
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Discusses the role of academic health centers in addressing rural health needs and proposes the Decentralized Academic Health Center (D-AHC) model. Compares the traditional model with D-AHC and discusses implementation through teaching and workforce, research and data, clinical partnerships and digital health, community engagement and policy, financial sustainability, and provider and community readiness. Includes a 5-phase roadmap for implementation.
Author(s): Patrick C. Hardigan, Johannes Vieweg
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(5)
Date: 05/2026
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Survivor Views on Rural Health
Presents findings from a survey of rural, urban, and suburban cancer patients and survivors on healthcare affordability, medical debt, provider access, cancer screening, patient navigation services, and other topics related to access to care.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
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Presents findings from a survey of rural, urban, and suburban cancer patients and survivors on healthcare affordability, medical debt, provider access, cancer screening, patient navigation services, and other topics related to access to care.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
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Urgent Care Center and Retail Health Clinic Use: United States, 2024
Examines 2024 urgent care center and retail health clinic use in the United States by age and urbanization of large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan.
Author(s): Robin A. Cohen, Elizabeth M. Briones
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Examines 2024 urgent care center and retail health clinic use in the United States by age and urbanization of large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan.
Author(s): Robin A. Cohen, Elizabeth M. Briones
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Massachusetts Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Massachusetts in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Massachusetts in 2025. Includes county-level data and rural and urban comparisons.
Author(s): S.C. Woolcock, C.H.A. Andrilla, L.A. Garberson, J.M. Graves
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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