Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Ambulance Deserts and Health Care Deserts
Story maps illustrating the intersection of ambulance deserts and rural healthcare deserts in 2020 across 41 states. Maps include the locations of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the number and percent of rural residents living in ambulance deserts and healthcare deserts in each state and by region. Builds on a 2023 chartbook, Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Tyler DeAngelis, Celia Jewell, Thomas Griffin, Heidi O'Connor
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Northeast Rural Health Research Center
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Story maps illustrating the intersection of ambulance deserts and rural healthcare deserts in 2020 across 41 states. Maps include the locations of hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Presents data on the number and percent of rural residents living in ambulance deserts and healthcare deserts in each state and by region. Builds on a 2023 chartbook, Ambulance Deserts: Geographic Disparities in the Provision of Ambulance Services.
Author(s): Yvonne Jonk, Tyler DeAngelis, Celia Jewell, Thomas Griffin, Heidi O'Connor
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Northeast Rural Health Research Center
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Reported Receipt of Mental Health Services by Adolescents Aged 12 to 17 in the Rural and Urban U.S., 2021
Describes the mental health services received by adolescents in rural and urban counties nationwide in 2021. Presents data on the percentage of adolescents that received mental health services by rurality. Includes data on rural and urban adolescents' receipt of inpatient and outpatient mental health services across Census regions; services provided in specialty mental health settings; and services provided by a therapist or counselor, in a general medical setting, or via telehealth.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the mental health services received by adolescents in rural and urban counties nationwide in 2021. Presents data on the percentage of adolescents that received mental health services by rurality. Includes data on rural and urban adolescents' receipt of inpatient and outpatient mental health services across Census regions; services provided in specialty mental health settings; and services provided by a therapist or counselor, in a general medical setting, or via telehealth.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Alcohol Use Disorder and Marijuana Use Disorder Among Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 12 to 24 in the Rural and Urban U.S., 2021
Describes the past-year prevalence of alcohol use disorder and marijuana use disorder among adolescents and young adults in rural and urban counties and across census divisions, in 2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the past-year prevalence of alcohol use disorder and marijuana use disorder among adolescents and young adults in rural and urban counties and across census divisions, in 2021. Features statistics with breakdowns by 7 levels of population density.
Author(s): Gina A. Keppel, Lisa A. Garberson, C. Holly A. Andrilla, Janessa M. Graves
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Aerobic Physical Activity Among Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2024
Offers data highlighting aerobic physical activity among adults. Includes a data breakdown by 4 levels of urbanization in addition to other demographic characteristics, family income, education, disability status, and body mass index.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Ellen A. Kramarow
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Offers data highlighting aerobic physical activity among adults. Includes a data breakdown by 4 levels of urbanization in addition to other demographic characteristics, family income, education, disability status, and body mass index.
Author(s): Nazik Elgaddal, Ellen A. Kramarow
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Overview of Motor Vehicle Traffic Crashes in 2024
Research note providing data on all police-reported traffic crashes including fatalities and people injured from the 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System Annual Report File and the 2024 Crash Report Sampling System, along with data in prior years. Features statistics on fatalities from 2015-2024 with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Research note providing data on all police-reported traffic crashes including fatalities and people injured from the 2024 Fatality Analysis Reporting System Annual Report File and the 2024 Crash Report Sampling System, along with data in prior years. Features statistics on fatalities from 2015-2024 with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
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Distance to a Drying Saline Lake and Lung Function Development in a Rural Border Cohort of Children
Examines the relationship between children's lung function and proximity to the drying Salton Sea in rural southeastern California. Analyzes lung function of 369 first to third grade children with breakdowns according to demographics, health factors, air pollution, and proximity to the Salton Sea.
Author(s): Fangqi Guo, Elizabeth M. Kamai, Sandrah P. Eckel, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(4), e264812
Date: 04/2026
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Examines the relationship between children's lung function and proximity to the drying Salton Sea in rural southeastern California. Analyzes lung function of 369 first to third grade children with breakdowns according to demographics, health factors, air pollution, and proximity to the Salton Sea.
Author(s): Fangqi Guo, Elizabeth M. Kamai, Sandrah P. Eckel, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(4), e264812
Date: 04/2026
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Trends in Inpatient Revenue and Volume Among Critical Access Hospitals
Examines trends in Critical Access Hospital (CAH) revenue and volume between 2017 and 2024. Presents data on average outpatient-to-total revenue and mean average daily census among CAHs each year by CAH urban or rural location, region, profit status, and system affiliation.
Author(s): Tyler Malone, Angelina Budko
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Examines trends in Critical Access Hospital (CAH) revenue and volume between 2017 and 2024. Presents data on average outpatient-to-total revenue and mean average daily census among CAHs each year by CAH urban or rural location, region, profit status, and system affiliation.
Author(s): Tyler Malone, Angelina Budko
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Community Resources and Hazards Across the Rural-Urban Continuum
Explores variation by rurality in exposure to community-level social determinants of health, using data from all residential addresses in Maryland. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas.
Author(s): Oshozimhede E. Iyalomhe, Shuo Jim Huang, Rozalina G. McCoy
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(4), e264864
Date: 04/2026
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Explores variation by rurality in exposure to community-level social determinants of health, using data from all residential addresses in Maryland. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated rural areas.
Author(s): Oshozimhede E. Iyalomhe, Shuo Jim Huang, Rozalina G. McCoy
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(4), e264864
Date: 04/2026
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Adults' Leisure-Time Physical Activity Preferences and Association with Physical Activity Guidelines by Metropolitan Status, United States, 2019
Compares preferences in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines among adults by level of rurality, using 2019 BRFSS data. Discusses how rural-urban differences in LTPA can contribute to rural physical activity interventions.
Author(s): Christiaan G. Abildso, Eugene C. Fitzhugh, Alan M. Beck, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(4), e0345026
Date: 04/2026
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Compares preferences in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and likelihood of meeting physical activity guidelines among adults by level of rurality, using 2019 BRFSS data. Discusses how rural-urban differences in LTPA can contribute to rural physical activity interventions.
Author(s): Christiaan G. Abildso, Eugene C. Fitzhugh, Alan M. Beck, et al.
Citation: PLOS One, 21(4), e0345026
Date: 04/2026
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A Chartbook on the Characteristics and Needs of Frontier Critical Access Hospitals
Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Summarizes findings from a 2025 national survey of executives from 117 Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) in frontier counties. Includes data on the distribution and characteristics of frontier CAHs. Identifies themes related to financial and operational challenges, service availability, and access to care in frontier settings.
Author(s): John A. Gale, Rebecca Stearns, Zachariah Croll, Jayne Foley
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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