Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
Access to OB-GYNs: Evaluating Workforce Supply and ACA Marketplace Networks
Examines the workforce supply of OB-GYNs employed in the United States and part of insurance marketplace networks. Provides interactive county-level data on number of practicing OB-GYNs per 100,000 women aged 15-64. Presents the share of counties with no OB-GYNs and the share of women living in them according to rural, small metro, or urban county classification.
Author(s): Michelle Long, Matthew Rae, Aubrey Winger, and Kaye Pestaina
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Examines the workforce supply of OB-GYNs employed in the United States and part of insurance marketplace networks. Provides interactive county-level data on number of practicing OB-GYNs per 100,000 women aged 15-64. Presents the share of counties with no OB-GYNs and the share of women living in them according to rural, small metro, or urban county classification.
Author(s): Michelle Long, Matthew Rae, Aubrey Winger, and Kaye Pestaina
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: KFF
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Cancer in Rural America: Improving Access to Clinical Trials and Quality of Oncologic Care
Discusses the importance of rural populations accessing oncologic clinical trials to decrease cancer morbidity and mortality rates in rural areas. Provides rural versus urban patient data on distance from trial sites as well as prevalence of chronic disease. Suggests strategies and policies to improve access to clinical trials.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger, Barbara L. McAneny, Raymond U. Osarogiagbon
Citation: CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 75(4), 341-361
Date: 07/2025
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Discusses the importance of rural populations accessing oncologic clinical trials to decrease cancer morbidity and mortality rates in rural areas. Provides rural versus urban patient data on distance from trial sites as well as prevalence of chronic disease. Suggests strategies and policies to improve access to clinical trials.
Author(s): Joseph M. Unger, Barbara L. McAneny, Raymond U. Osarogiagbon
Citation: CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 75(4), 341-361
Date: 07/2025
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Geographic Variability in Contemporary Utilization of PET Imaging for Prostate Cancer: A Medicare Claims Cohort Study
Analyzes likelihood of receiving Positron Emission Tomography (PET) by level of rurality as part of prostate cancer treatment, utilizing 2019-2021 Medicare claims data. Includes analysis of interactions between metro, urban, or rural geography and patients' race.
Author(s): Stephan M. Korn, Zhiyu Qian, Hanna Zurl, et al.
Citation: Cancer Imaging, 25, 86
Date: 07/2025
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Analyzes likelihood of receiving Positron Emission Tomography (PET) by level of rurality as part of prostate cancer treatment, utilizing 2019-2021 Medicare claims data. Includes analysis of interactions between metro, urban, or rural geography and patients' race.
Author(s): Stephan M. Korn, Zhiyu Qian, Hanna Zurl, et al.
Citation: Cancer Imaging, 25, 86
Date: 07/2025
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Establishing First Age-Friendly Health System Tele-Palliative Care Clinic – Facilitators, Challenges, Lessons Learned to Improve Care for Rural, Older Veterans
Presents a study exploring an age-friendly tele-palliative care clinic for older veterans. Highlights challenges and successes of using telehealth to provide palliative care to older rural veterans in Colorado.
Author(s): Stephanie Hartz, Alexander Garbin, Kathryn Allen Nearing, et al.
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 07/2025
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Presents a study exploring an age-friendly tele-palliative care clinic for older veterans. Highlights challenges and successes of using telehealth to provide palliative care to older rural veterans in Colorado.
Author(s): Stephanie Hartz, Alexander Garbin, Kathryn Allen Nearing, et al.
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 07/2025
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Natural Hazards, Losses, and Quality of Hazard Mitigation Plans in Rural Pennsylvania
Results of a study identifying and analyzing characteristics of natural hazards and losses in Pennsylvania over time, characteristics of rural and urban hazard mitigation planning, and challenges for county emergency management coordinators. Offers recommendations to address staff shortages faced by emergency management personnel in rural areas. Features statistics including property losses and deaths from hazards in Pennsylvania by year from 2000-2021, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Jennifer J. Haney
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Results of a study identifying and analyzing characteristics of natural hazards and losses in Pennsylvania over time, characteristics of rural and urban hazard mitigation planning, and challenges for county emergency management coordinators. Offers recommendations to address staff shortages faced by emergency management personnel in rural areas. Features statistics including property losses and deaths from hazards in Pennsylvania by year from 2000-2021, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Jennifer J. Haney
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Wisconsin 2024 RN Survey Report
An overview of the registered nurse (RN) and advanced practice nurse (APN) workforce in Wisconsin, based on data from the February 2024 Wisconsin RN Workforce Survey. Features statistics including demographics, geographic distribution, educational preparation, and median income, with breakdowns by rural or urban location.
Author(s): Roberta Pawlak, Katie Gillespie, Jessica Leiberg, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Nursing
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An overview of the registered nurse (RN) and advanced practice nurse (APN) workforce in Wisconsin, based on data from the February 2024 Wisconsin RN Workforce Survey. Features statistics including demographics, geographic distribution, educational preparation, and median income, with breakdowns by rural or urban location.
Author(s): Roberta Pawlak, Katie Gillespie, Jessica Leiberg, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organizations: School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Nursing
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Understanding the Experience of Disabled Americans in Rural Communities through Data: The Data We Have, the Data We're Missing, and How to Close the Gap
Discusses the need for adequate rural disability data and inclusion of people with disabilities in research and policymaking. Provides suggestions to improve disability data collection in rural areas, focusing on collaboration, qualitative data collection, cultural and geographic sensitivity, transparency and accessibility in data systems, and funding and capacity-building.
Author(s): Susan J. Popkin, Alexis Weaver, Violet Sulka/Hewes, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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Discusses the need for adequate rural disability data and inclusion of people with disabilities in research and policymaking. Provides suggestions to improve disability data collection in rural areas, focusing on collaboration, qualitative data collection, cultural and geographic sensitivity, transparency and accessibility in data systems, and funding and capacity-building.
Author(s): Susan J. Popkin, Alexis Weaver, Violet Sulka/Hewes, et al.
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: Urban Institute
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The Relationship Between the Population Experiencing Homelessness and Living in Shelters and Poverty
Presents as paper exploring the U.S. Census data related to poverty for the housed and unhoused population. Discusses how these groups compare to one another. Breaks down data by rural, urban, and national rates.
Author(s): Brian Glassman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Presents as paper exploring the U.S. Census data related to poverty for the housed and unhoused population. Discusses how these groups compare to one another. Breaks down data by rural, urban, and national rates.
Author(s): Brian Glassman
Date: 07/2025
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Sustainability of the Growth of the Local Public Health Workforce During the COVID-19 Pandemic, 2019–2022
Examines changes in the local health department (LHD) workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing 2019-2022 NACCHO National Profile of Local Health Departments data. Breaks down LHD workforce composition and size data by LHD jurisdiction size and rurality.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Timothy C. McCall, Margaret Cunningham, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 115, 1271-1277
Date: 07/2025
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Examines changes in the local health department (LHD) workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing 2019-2022 NACCHO National Profile of Local Health Departments data. Breaks down LHD workforce composition and size data by LHD jurisdiction size and rurality.
Author(s): Krishna Patel, Timothy C. McCall, Margaret Cunningham, et al.
Citation: American Journal of Public Health, 115, 1271-1277
Date: 07/2025
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Rural Hospital Philanthropy: Community Awareness and Willingness to Donate to the Georgia Rural Hospital Tax Credit Program
Examines awareness of and willingness to participate in Georgia's Rural Hospital Tax Credit program, utilizing survey data of 940 people living in rural South Georgia communities served by eligible local hospitals. Includes data on associations between willingness to donate to rural hospitals and satisfaction with hospital quality, tax credit program awareness, and demographic factors such as household income and educational attainment. Discusses philanthropy as a source of financial support for rural hospitals.
Author(s): Linda Kimsey, Bettye A. Apenteng, Samuel T. Opoku, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 980
Date: 07/2025
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Examines awareness of and willingness to participate in Georgia's Rural Hospital Tax Credit program, utilizing survey data of 940 people living in rural South Georgia communities served by eligible local hospitals. Includes data on associations between willingness to donate to rural hospitals and satisfaction with hospital quality, tax credit program awareness, and demographic factors such as household income and educational attainment. Discusses philanthropy as a source of financial support for rural hospitals.
Author(s): Linda Kimsey, Bettye A. Apenteng, Samuel T. Opoku, et al.
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 25, 980
Date: 07/2025
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