Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Analyzing Trends of Medicare-Participating Nurse Practitioners and Physician Associates in the United States From 2017 to 2025
Results of a study describing how the geographic distribution of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician associates (PAs) has changed. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and state-level maps showing increases or decreases in the numbers of NPs and PAs from 2017 to 2025.
Author(s): Ryan J. Crowley, Jag S. Lally, David M. Kline, Amanda M. Bunting
Citation: Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 38(8), 617-625
Date: 08/2026
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Results of a study describing how the geographic distribution of nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician associates (PAs) has changed. Features statistics with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and state-level maps showing increases or decreases in the numbers of NPs and PAs from 2017 to 2025.
Author(s): Ryan J. Crowley, Jag S. Lally, David M. Kline, Amanda M. Bunting
Citation: Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 38(8), 617-625
Date: 08/2026
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2026 Annual Insurance Update: Health Insurance in Kansas
Reports on health insurance coverage across Kansas and nationwide, presenting 2009-2024 trends in coverage. Includes 2023 county-level data on uninsured rates by age group as well as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment. Compares uninsurance rates across frontier, rural, densely-settled rural, semi-urban, and urban county location.
Author(s): Kaci Cink, Viktoria Sterkhova, Cynthia Snyder, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Reports on health insurance coverage across Kansas and nationwide, presenting 2009-2024 trends in coverage. Includes 2023 county-level data on uninsured rates by age group as well as Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment. Compares uninsurance rates across frontier, rural, densely-settled rural, semi-urban, and urban county location.
Author(s): Kaci Cink, Viktoria Sterkhova, Cynthia Snyder, Wen-Chieh Lin
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Health Institute
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Availability of Rural Hospitals Providing Inpatient Maternity Care in Medicaid
Examines the availability of hospitals offering inpatient maternity care in rural areas to Medicaid enrollees. Describes the median drive time between rural hospitals and the next closest in-state hospital that provides inpatient maternity care to Medicaid enrollees by state. Includes data on the number of urban and rural hospitals providing these services in each state in 2023.
Author(s): Rhiannon Euhus, Brittni Frederiksen, Alice Burns
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the availability of hospitals offering inpatient maternity care in rural areas to Medicaid enrollees. Describes the median drive time between rural hospitals and the next closest in-state hospital that provides inpatient maternity care to Medicaid enrollees by state. Includes data on the number of urban and rural hospitals providing these services in each state in 2023.
Author(s): Rhiannon Euhus, Brittni Frederiksen, Alice Burns
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Buprenorphine Dispensed by Pharmacies and Administered in Emergency Departments in Urban and Rural Areas — United States, 2019–2025
Reports on how the provision of buprenorphine in pharmacies and emergency departments varied by rural or urban area between 2019 and 2025. Includes rural and urban data comparisons on the frequency of dispensing or administering buprenorphine, dosing, prescribing, availability, and more, including year-by-year comparisons.
Author(s): Gery P. Guy Jr., Yijie Chen, Kun Zhang, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(33), 522-528
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Reports on how the provision of buprenorphine in pharmacies and emergency departments varied by rural or urban area between 2019 and 2025. Includes rural and urban data comparisons on the frequency of dispensing or administering buprenorphine, dosing, prescribing, availability, and more, including year-by-year comparisons.
Author(s): Gery P. Guy Jr., Yijie Chen, Kun Zhang, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 75(33), 522-528
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Impact of Urban–Rural Residence on Treatment and Survival in Patients with Glioblastoma: A SEER-Based Study with External Validation
Analyzes how treatment and cancer-specific survival vary by rural or urban adults diagnosed with glioblastoma between 2000 and 2019. Utilizes National Cancer Institute SEER data.
Author(s): Changping Chen, Chang Liu, Xiaoyue Li, Chenbo Ouyang
Citation: Medicine, 105(34), e50325
Date: 08/2026
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Analyzes how treatment and cancer-specific survival vary by rural or urban adults diagnosed with glioblastoma between 2000 and 2019. Utilizes National Cancer Institute SEER data.
Author(s): Changping Chen, Chang Liu, Xiaoyue Li, Chenbo Ouyang
Citation: Medicine, 105(34), e50325
Date: 08/2026
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Introduction to the American Community Survey
Webinar recording discussing the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey including how the survey is administered, topics and geographies covered, tools for accessing the data, and resources to learn more. Notes the differences in the 1-year and 5-year data estimates. Transcript available beneath the video player.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Webinar recording discussing the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey including how the survey is administered, topics and geographies covered, tools for accessing the data, and resources to learn more. Notes the differences in the 1-year and 5-year data estimates. Transcript available beneath the video player.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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State of Oral Health in America: Key Findings from 2026
Details the findings of a survey that aims to identify gaps in dental coverage, barriers to care, and areas that have worse overall oral health outcomes across the country. Compares metro and nonmetro areas by dental insurance coverage, adult dental visits, and overall oral health.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Details the findings of a survey that aims to identify gaps in dental coverage, barriers to care, and areas that have worse overall oral health outcomes across the country. Compares metro and nonmetro areas by dental insurance coverage, adult dental visits, and overall oral health.
Date: 08/2026
Sponsoring organization: CareQuest Institute for Oral Health
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Lung Cancer Screening Access and Cancer Stage at Diagnosis Among American Indian and White Patients
Examines the association between geographic access to low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening facilities and stage at diagnosis among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) adults in North Carolina. Utilizes 2016-2020 cancer registry and health insurance claims data to analyze 18,154 lung cancer patients according to distance to nearest LDCT, sociodemographic variables, and geography.
Author(s): Bradford E. Jackson, Madison Uhrin, Stephanie B. Wheeler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70207
Date: 08/2026
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Examines the association between geographic access to low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening facilities and stage at diagnosis among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) adults in North Carolina. Utilizes 2016-2020 cancer registry and health insurance claims data to analyze 18,154 lung cancer patients according to distance to nearest LDCT, sociodemographic variables, and geography.
Author(s): Bradford E. Jackson, Madison Uhrin, Stephanie B. Wheeler, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70207
Date: 08/2026
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Mandatory Value-Based Payment Programs and Hospital Administrative Costs
Explores the association between hospital participation in mandatory value-based payment programs and hospital administrative costs. Analyzes Medicare cost report data from 2006 to 2020 to examine hospital administrative costs before and during implementation of four mandatory programs: the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), and the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model. Compares data from participating hospitals to data from nonparticipating hospitals, including general acute care hospitals in Maryland that were paid under Maryland's all-payer model, Critical Access Hospitals, and long-term care hospitals.
Author(s): Zehui Zhou, Jason D. Buxbaum, Andrew M. Ryan
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(8), e262503
Date: 08/2026
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Explores the association between hospital participation in mandatory value-based payment programs and hospital administrative costs. Analyzes Medicare cost report data from 2006 to 2020 to examine hospital administrative costs before and during implementation of four mandatory programs: the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) program, the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP), the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP), and the Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model. Compares data from participating hospitals to data from nonparticipating hospitals, including general acute care hospitals in Maryland that were paid under Maryland's all-payer model, Critical Access Hospitals, and long-term care hospitals.
Author(s): Zehui Zhou, Jason D. Buxbaum, Andrew M. Ryan
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(8), e262503
Date: 08/2026
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Rural–Urban Differences in Excessive Alcohol Use and Select Mental Health Conditions
Explores the differences in alcohol use by people with self-reported mental health conditions in rural and urban areas using 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data. Breaks down data by demographic markers, such as education level, employment, and health insurance status, among others. Compares alcohol use and mental health data by large urban, small urban, and rural areas.
Author(s): Taryn Farrell, Cassie Odahowski, Emma Boswell, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70209
Date: 08/2026
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Explores the differences in alcohol use by people with self-reported mental health conditions in rural and urban areas using 2021-2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data. Breaks down data by demographic markers, such as education level, employment, and health insurance status, among others. Compares alcohol use and mental health data by large urban, small urban, and rural areas.
Author(s): Taryn Farrell, Cassie Odahowski, Emma Boswell, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70209
Date: 08/2026
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