Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Understanding Risk Factors for Otitis Media in Rural Alaska Native Children: A Cohort Study
Presents a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Bering Strait region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Rolvix H Patterson, Susan D Emmett, Kelli L Scheinman, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 417-428
Date: 03/2026
view details
Presents a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Bering Strait region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Rolvix H Patterson, Susan D Emmett, Kelli L Scheinman, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 417-428
Date: 03/2026
view details
Assessing Environmental, Nutritional, and Genetic Factors for Otitis Media-Related Hearing Loss in Rural Alaska Native Children
Highlights a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Norton Sound region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Samantha Kleindienst Robler, Alyssa Platt, Rolvix H Patterson, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 404-416
Date: 03/2026
view details
Highlights a study on the relationship between otitis media, a middle ear disease associated with childhood hearing loss, and environmental, genetic, and dietary risk factors among children aged 1-4 in Alaska Native communities in the rural Norton Sound region of Alaska. Explores the presence of genetic factors that increase the likelihood of respiratory infections in newborns, rates of breastfeeding, and environmental factors, such as smoke exposure and availability of running water, among others.
Author(s): Samantha Kleindienst Robler, Alyssa Platt, Rolvix H Patterson, et al.
Citation: Ear & Hearing, 47(2), 404-416
Date: 03/2026
view details
Connected Care for Older Adults: A Pilot Intervention Engaging Community Health Workers to Advance Age-Friendly Care in Rural Oregon
Describes a pilot program implementing the 4Ms of the Age-Friendly Health System framework by embedding community health workers in rural primary care teams for 388 older adult medically frail patients. Assesses patient and clinician satisfaction and associated healthcare utilization.
Author(s): Bryanna De Lima, Lindsay Miller, Elizabeth Foster, Jodi Ready, Elizabeth Eckstrom
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 74(3), 705-711
Date: 03/2026
view details
Describes a pilot program implementing the 4Ms of the Age-Friendly Health System framework by embedding community health workers in rural primary care teams for 388 older adult medically frail patients. Assesses patient and clinician satisfaction and associated healthcare utilization.
Author(s): Bryanna De Lima, Lindsay Miller, Elizabeth Foster, Jodi Ready, Elizabeth Eckstrom
Citation: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 74(3), 705-711
Date: 03/2026
view details
Changes in the Availability of Inpatient Psychiatric Beds Across Rural and Urban Areas, 2012-2021
Policy brief describing numbers of Critical Access Hospitals and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals providing inpatient psychiatric care, and comparing these to urban PPS hospitals. Also examines psychiatric unit closure rates and the effect on access to behavioral health services in rural areas.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah T. Croll, Jamar Croom, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
view details
Policy brief describing numbers of Critical Access Hospitals and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals providing inpatient psychiatric care, and comparing these to urban PPS hospitals. Also examines psychiatric unit closure rates and the effect on access to behavioral health services in rural areas.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah T. Croll, Jamar Croom, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
view details
Multidimensional Approaches to Ranking State-Level Rurality to Enhance Comparisons Across States
Provides a rurality index for all 50 U.S. states, utilizing measures of rural population percentage, rural land area percentage, and rural population density. Discusses the need for a multidimensional measure of rurality to provide an accurate tool for health policy research.
Author(s): Daniel Baslock, Nari Yoo
Citation: The Milbank Quarterly: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population and Health Policy, 140(1), 136-152
Date: 03/2026
view details
Provides a rurality index for all 50 U.S. states, utilizing measures of rural population percentage, rural land area percentage, and rural population density. Discusses the need for a multidimensional measure of rurality to provide an accurate tool for health policy research.
Author(s): Daniel Baslock, Nari Yoo
Citation: The Milbank Quarterly: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population and Health Policy, 140(1), 136-152
Date: 03/2026
view details
One or Two Health Systems Controlled the Entire Market for Inpatient Hospital Care in Nearly Half of Metropolitan Areas in 2024
Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2024 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Examines the competitiveness of hospital markets in 2024 by analyzing RAND Hospital Data and American Hospital Association (AHA) survey data. Presents data on the share of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) controlled by a small number of health systems, the level of market concentration in MSAs, and the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems over time. Compares the share of hospitals affiliated with health systems in rural and non-rural areas.
Author(s): Jamie Godwin, Zachary Levinson, Tricia Neuman
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: KFF
view details
Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 1 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level one ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 1 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level one ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 1 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 4 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level four ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 4 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level four ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 4 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 3 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level three ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 3 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level three ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 3 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Frontier and Remote (FAR) Level 2 Census Tracts, 2020
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level two ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 2 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details
Printable map that identifies the frontier and remote (FAR) level two ZIP code areas in the United States. Data source: USDA Economic Research Service
Additional links: Level 2 Census Tracts Data Table
Date: 03/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
view details