Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Rural Small Businesses in the North Central Region: Workforce Development
Discusses the landscape of rural businesses in the North Central Region (NCR). Provides rural versus urban data on number of employees, staffing shortages, lost sales opportunities, and issues recruiting and retaining employees, including childcare availability, housing affordability, access to healthcare, and more.
Author(s): Renee D. Wiatt
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
view details
Discusses the landscape of rural businesses in the North Central Region (NCR). Provides rural versus urban data on number of employees, staffing shortages, lost sales opportunities, and issues recruiting and retaining employees, including childcare availability, housing affordability, access to healthcare, and more.
Author(s): Renee D. Wiatt
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
view details
2025 West Virginia Health Sciences and Rural Health Report
Review of medical school enrollment, licensing rates, student debt ratios, residency training, and retention rates in West Virginia, with special focus on the Rural Health Initiative Program. Includes dental and pharmacy program profiles, and describes the Medical Student Loan Program and the Health Sciences Service Program, providing financial awards to health professionals who agree to practice in underserved areas of West Virginia.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
view details
Review of medical school enrollment, licensing rates, student debt ratios, residency training, and retention rates in West Virginia, with special focus on the Rural Health Initiative Program. Includes dental and pharmacy program profiles, and describes the Medical Student Loan Program and the Health Sciences Service Program, providing financial awards to health professionals who agree to practice in underserved areas of West Virginia.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
view details
Changes in Bed-Based Measures of Surge Capacity from 2018 to 2022 among Rural and Urban Hospitals
Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Do Changes in Hospital Ownership Affect Staffing?
Findings brief examining whether transition from government or nonprofit to for-profit hospital ownership is associated with changes in staffing levels in rural hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 CMS Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) data.
Author(s): Ayush Manandhar
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Findings brief examining whether transition from government or nonprofit to for-profit hospital ownership is associated with changes in staffing levels in rural hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 CMS Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) data.
Author(s): Ayush Manandhar
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
view details
Analysis of the Rural Health Transformation Program
Examines the Rural Health Transportation Program's (RHTP) impacts on rural health funding by state characteristics. Includes data on factors including funding provided per rural inhabitant by state-level rural mortality rate, rural population, estimated loss of funding resulting from Medicaid spending reductions, and more.
Author(s): Paula Chatterjee, Rachel M. Werner
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
view details
Examines the Rural Health Transportation Program's (RHTP) impacts on rural health funding by state characteristics. Includes data on factors including funding provided per rural inhabitant by state-level rural mortality rate, rural population, estimated loss of funding resulting from Medicaid spending reductions, and more.
Author(s): Paula Chatterjee, Rachel M. Werner
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
view details
The Indian Health Service Did Not Ensure That Commissioned Corps Officers' Background Investigations Complied With Federal Requirements
Examines whether Officers of the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (Commissioned Corps) who are assigned to provide healthcare services to Tribal and IHS-operated health programs received background investigations and reinvestigations in accordance with Federal requirements. Presents findings of a review of background investigation documentation for a sample of 100 Officers assigned to provide healthcare services to IHS and Tribal health facilities in September 2022.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Examines whether Officers of the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service (Commissioned Corps) who are assigned to provide healthcare services to Tribal and IHS-operated health programs received background investigations and reinvestigations in accordance with Federal requirements. Presents findings of a review of background investigation documentation for a sample of 100 Officers assigned to provide healthcare services to IHS and Tribal health facilities in September 2022.
Additional links: Report Highlights
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
view details
Medicare Advantage 2026 Spotlight: A First Look at Plan Offerings
Offers an overview of Medicare Advantage plan availability across the country for 2026. Discusses how many plans are available, who is offering plans, and costs. Offers data for rural and urban areas and county-level data.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Offers an overview of Medicare Advantage plan availability across the country for 2026. Discusses how many plans are available, who is offering plans, and costs. Offers data for rural and urban areas and county-level data.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Revisiting the Rural and Urban Divide in Hospital Health Information Technology Adoption: Evidence From 2023
Presents a study assessing the adoption of telehealth, patient engagement, and health information exchange functionalities in rural and urban hospitals in 2023. Bases findings on American Hospital Association Annual Survey and Information Technology Survey data. Breaks down data by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural hospital settings.
Author(s): Alice S. Yan, Teagan K. Maguire, Jie Chen
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70100
Date: 12/2025
view details
Presents a study assessing the adoption of telehealth, patient engagement, and health information exchange functionalities in rural and urban hospitals in 2023. Bases findings on American Hospital Association Annual Survey and Information Technology Survey data. Breaks down data by metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural hospital settings.
Author(s): Alice S. Yan, Teagan K. Maguire, Jie Chen
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(4), e70100
Date: 12/2025
view details
Availability of Higher-Level Neonatal Care Services in Rural US Counties, 2010-2022
Policy brief showing changes in availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural counties from 2010 to 2022, and how this availability differs by rural county type. Features statistics with breakdowns by all rural, micropolitan, and noncore areas.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Julia D. Interrante, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Policy brief showing changes in availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural counties from 2010 to 2022, and how this availability differs by rural county type. Features statistics with breakdowns by all rural, micropolitan, and noncore areas.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Julia D. Interrante, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
view details
Missouri Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Missouri 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: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Missouri 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: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
view details