Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Women
Better Health for Mothers and Babies Issue Brief: Reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity
Discusses maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. and the underlying causes. Focuses on access to care, medically at-risk patients, social factors, and maternal health challenges in rural areas. Includes suggestions to improve maternal health outcomes with examples from various healthcare facilities.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discusses maternal morbidity and mortality in the U.S. and the underlying causes. Focuses on access to care, medically at-risk patients, social factors, and maternal health challenges in rural areas. Includes suggestions to improve maternal health outcomes with examples from various healthcare facilities.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Mapping Maternity Care Deserts: Driving Distance and Health Outcomes in North Carolina
Examines the relationship between maternity care deserts in North Carolina and maternal and infant health. Utilizes 2016-2021 hospitalization records to examine travel distance to care and health outcomes such as cesarean delivery rates, severe maternal morbidity, and hypertension. Discusses maternal health access issues across rural-urban commuting (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Margaret Sugg, Shishir Shakya, Sarah Ulrich, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Examines the relationship between maternity care deserts in North Carolina and maternal and infant health. Utilizes 2016-2021 hospitalization records to examine travel distance to care and health outcomes such as cesarean delivery rates, severe maternal morbidity, and hypertension. Discusses maternal health access issues across rural-urban commuting (RUCA) codes.
Author(s): Margaret Sugg, Shishir Shakya, Sarah Ulrich, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 04/2025
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Maternal Mortality in Indiana: Contributing Factors and Policy Recommendations
Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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Discusses causes of maternal mortality and related data in Indiana and the U.S. at large. Includes information on disparities with a focus on rural areas, demographics, and access to maternal health services. Provides county-level map of Indiana showing full, moderate, low, or no access to maternity care. Explores potential solutions to maternal mortality, such as co-location of maternal and behavioral healthcare, substance use disorder (SUD) support, mental health support, and more.
Author(s): Tierra Brooks, Lee Ruess, Kristi Schultz, Elizabeth Thuranira
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Indiana University Public Policy Institute
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Supplement Use among a Diverse Sample of Perimenopausal and Menopausal Women in Rural Hawaiʻi
Examines supplement use in perimenopausal and menopausal women living in rural Hawaii. Utilizes 2023 survey data related to supplement use, with breakdowns according to demographics, type of supplements, and number of supplements used.
Author(s): Paris N. Stowers, Emilie Stickley, Russell Woo, Andras Bratincsak
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 25(1), 9490
Date: 03/2025
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Examines supplement use in perimenopausal and menopausal women living in rural Hawaii. Utilizes 2023 survey data related to supplement use, with breakdowns according to demographics, type of supplements, and number of supplements used.
Author(s): Paris N. Stowers, Emilie Stickley, Russell Woo, Andras Bratincsak
Citation: Rural and Remote Health, 25(1), 9490
Date: 03/2025
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Rural–Urban Differences in Substance Use During Pregnancy
Examines perinatal substance use in rural and urban populations. Utilizes 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to analyze 3,499 pregnant women according to rural, small urban, and large urban location, as well as by demographic variables, health status, and type of substance use.
Author(s): Emma Kathryn Boswell, Olivia M. Hinds, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 03/2025
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Examines perinatal substance use in rural and urban populations. Utilizes 2015-2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data to analyze 3,499 pregnant women according to rural, small urban, and large urban location, as well as by demographic variables, health status, and type of substance use.
Author(s): Emma Kathryn Boswell, Olivia M. Hinds, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 03/2025
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Rural Maternal Health Interventions: A Scoping Review and Implications for Best Practices
Presents a scoping review of maternal health interventions in rural communities. Explores the efficacy of different interventions at improving maternal care and details the barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Rachel D'Amico Gordon, Alyson Kishi, Jordyn A. Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70007
Date: 03/2025
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Presents a scoping review of maternal health interventions in rural communities. Explores the efficacy of different interventions at improving maternal care and details the barriers and facilitators to implementation.
Author(s): Rachel D'Amico Gordon, Alyson Kishi, Jordyn A. Brown, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e70007
Date: 03/2025
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QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged ≥18 Years with Chronic Pain in the Past 3 Months, by Sex and Urbanization Level — United States, 2023
Bar chart showing the percentage of men and percentage of women that experienced chronic pain in the last three months in metropolitan compared to nonmetro areas.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(7), 125
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Bar chart showing the percentage of men and percentage of women that experienced chronic pain in the last three months in metropolitan compared to nonmetro areas.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 74(7), 125
Date: 03/2025
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Perinatal Mental Health in Maine
Offers data from various sources, including reviews of pregnancy-associated deaths, to help health professionals, policymakers, and the public understand the current status of perinatal mental health in Maine. Includes a section on mental health needs in rural areas and a county-level map with shadings showing numbers of mental health providers per 10,000 population.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Department of Health and Human Services
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Offers data from various sources, including reviews of pregnancy-associated deaths, to help health professionals, policymakers, and the public understand the current status of perinatal mental health in Maine. Includes a section on mental health needs in rural areas and a county-level map with shadings showing numbers of mental health providers per 10,000 population.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Department of Health and Human Services
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Carcinogenic Air Pollutants and Breast Cancer Risk in the Arkansas Rural Community Health Study: A Nested Case-Control Study
Examines associations between hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and breast cancer incidence among rural Arkansas women, utilizing National Air Toxics Assessment and Arkansas Rural Community Health study data. Analyzes breast cancer incidence and exposure to individual pollutants, pollutant mix, and family history of breast cancer.
Author(s): Edgar T. Ellis, Sean G. Young, Rachel Carroll, et al.
Citation: Environmental Pollution, 368, 125709
Date: 01/2025
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Examines associations between hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and breast cancer incidence among rural Arkansas women, utilizing National Air Toxics Assessment and Arkansas Rural Community Health study data. Analyzes breast cancer incidence and exposure to individual pollutants, pollutant mix, and family history of breast cancer.
Author(s): Edgar T. Ellis, Sean G. Young, Rachel Carroll, et al.
Citation: Environmental Pollution, 368, 125709
Date: 01/2025
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Impaired Driving Among Rural Appalachian Women in the Year Following Incarceration
Results of a study examining impaired driving following incarceration and predictors of impaired driving in sample of rural Appalachian women with a history of drug use and risky sex. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by risk factor.
Author(s): J. Matthew Webster, Megan F. Dickson, Shawn M. Jamison, Michele Staton
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 105-114
Date: 01/2025
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Results of a study examining impaired driving following incarceration and predictors of impaired driving in sample of rural Appalachian women with a history of drug use and risky sex. Features demographics and statistics with breakdown by risk factor.
Author(s): J. Matthew Webster, Megan F. Dickson, Shawn M. Jamison, Michele Staton
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 6(4), 105-114
Date: 01/2025
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