Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
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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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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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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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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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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Florida Rural Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Florida 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 obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Florida 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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Delaware Rural Obstetrical Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Delaware 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 obstetricians and advanced practice midwives workforce distribution in Delaware 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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Delaware Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Delaware 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 supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians in Delaware 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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Delaware Rural Primary Care Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the primary care workforce distribution in Delaware 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 Delaware 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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Massachusetts Rural Behavioral Health Workforce
Offers maps and tables of the supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians 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 supply and distribution of behavioral health clinicians 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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