Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Reporting and Performance of Maternity-Related Quality Measures in Critical Access Hospitals
Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with and without labor and delivery services. Examines CAH quality reporting and performance on five key measures related to maternity care and birth outcomes. Explores relationships between maternity care quality performance and CAH characteristics such as system affiliation, volume, and location. Identifies quality measures related to maternity and birth outcomes that are most feasible and relevant for CAHs and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke, Hamdi Abas
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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Describes the characteristics of Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) with and without labor and delivery services. Examines CAH quality reporting and performance on five key measures related to maternity care and birth outcomes. Explores relationships between maternity care quality performance and CAH characteristics such as system affiliation, volume, and location. Identifies quality measures related to maternity and birth outcomes that are most feasible and relevant for CAHs and rural hospitals.
Author(s): Madeleine Pick, Megan Lahr, Mikayla Reinke, Hamdi Abas
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Flex Monitoring Team
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COVID-19: Federal Efforts to Support Behavioral Health Programs During the Pandemic
Describes how selected Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awardees provided behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how SAMHSA supported awardees' response to the pandemic. Discusses how SAMHSA's advisory councils and Policy Lab supported the agency's COVID-19 response. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Describes how selected Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awardees provided behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and how SAMHSA supported awardees' response to the pandemic. Discusses how SAMHSA's advisory councils and Policy Lab supported the agency's COVID-19 response. Includes rural references throughout.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Geographic Distribution of Gastroenterologists and Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the United States
Analyzes the geographic distribution of gastroenterologists alongside patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Provides ratios on the availability of gastroenterologists per 100,000 people in the general population and per 100 patients with IBD. Includes data on rurality of gastroenterologists and patients as well as U.S. maps showing their distribution.
Author(s): Navneet Upadhyay, Aisha Vadhariya, Magdaliz Gorritz, et al.
Citation: Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology 17(2), e00953
Date: 02/2026
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Analyzes the geographic distribution of gastroenterologists alongside patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Provides ratios on the availability of gastroenterologists per 100,000 people in the general population and per 100 patients with IBD. Includes data on rurality of gastroenterologists and patients as well as U.S. maps showing their distribution.
Author(s): Navneet Upadhyay, Aisha Vadhariya, Magdaliz Gorritz, et al.
Citation: Clinical and Translational Gastroenterology 17(2), e00953
Date: 02/2026
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Strengthening the Rural Workforce: East Alabama Health Tackles Nursing Shortage
Discusses a partnership between East Alabama Health and Chattahoochee Valley Community College to create a licensed practical nurse (LPN) school for employees and sponsor their education.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Discusses a partnership between East Alabama Health and Chattahoochee Valley Community College to create a licensed practical nurse (LPN) school for employees and sponsor their education.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: American Hospital Association
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Mortality Trends Involving Fatal-Arrhythmias and Anemia in the United States: A Retrospective Analysis of 25 Years
Examines trends in mortality associated with cardiac arrhythmias among anemic adults using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data, with demographic and geographic data breakdowns. See Figure 4 and Supplemental Table 5 for rural-specific data.
Author(s): Sarim Hassan Shahab, Saim Jan, Abdul Wasay, et al.
Citation: Medicine, 105(8), e47838
Date: 02/2026
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Examines trends in mortality associated with cardiac arrhythmias among anemic adults using 1999-2023 CDC WONDER data, with demographic and geographic data breakdowns. See Figure 4 and Supplemental Table 5 for rural-specific data.
Author(s): Sarim Hassan Shahab, Saim Jan, Abdul Wasay, et al.
Citation: Medicine, 105(8), e47838
Date: 02/2026
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Merkel Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Analysis of Urban vs. Rural Survival Outcomes from the United States' National Cancer Institute, a SEER Based Study
Compares Merkel cell carcinoma survival outcomes among rural and urban patients using 2010-2021 SEER data. Discusses the role of access barriers on cancer mortality among rural populations.
Author(s): Grace Evelyn Steinback, Joycie Chang, Anand Rajpara, Michael Siscos
Citation: Clinical Surgical Oncology, 5(1), 100120
Date: 02/2026
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Compares Merkel cell carcinoma survival outcomes among rural and urban patients using 2010-2021 SEER data. Discusses the role of access barriers on cancer mortality among rural populations.
Author(s): Grace Evelyn Steinback, Joycie Chang, Anand Rajpara, Michael Siscos
Citation: Clinical Surgical Oncology, 5(1), 100120
Date: 02/2026
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State Medicaid & CHIP Toolkit for Children's Behavioral Health Services and the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) Requirements
Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Toolkit designed to support state Medicaid and CHIP agencies in ensuring that children and youth experiencing behavioral health conditions get the care they need under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) requirements. Offers state examples within each strategy and sub-strategy presented. Includes rural considerations throughout.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
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Methamphetamine Use, Mental Health Comorbidities, and Treatment in Rural and Urban Areas, 2016-2019
Examines the prevalence of methamphetamine use by level of rurality and U.S. region, with data on methamphetamine use and mental illness, suicide and suicidal ideation, concurrent alcohol use, treatment for methamphetamine use disorder, method of use, and other relating to methamphetamine use prevalence and associated risks.
Author(s): Signe E. Burchim, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Examines the prevalence of methamphetamine use by level of rurality and U.S. region, with data on methamphetamine use and mental illness, suicide and suicidal ideation, concurrent alcohol use, treatment for methamphetamine use disorder, method of use, and other relating to methamphetamine use prevalence and associated risks.
Author(s): Signe E. Burchim, Lisa A. Garberson, Sara C. Woolcock, et al.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Rural Voices: You Can Do This Because You Are Small - Finding Capital for Affordable Rural Housing
Discusses securing financial investments and capital to support affordable housing in rural communities.
Author(s): Seth Leonard
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Discusses securing financial investments and capital to support affordable housing in rural communities.
Author(s): Seth Leonard
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Wisconsin Health Care Workforce Report
Provides information on the healthcare workforce in Wisconsin, with a focus on healthcare training and career pathways, healthcare demand and capacity, optimizing and retaining the current workforce, and more. Includes discussion on rural-focused healthcare training.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Hospital Association
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Provides information on the healthcare workforce in Wisconsin, with a focus on healthcare training and career pathways, healthcare demand and capacity, optimizing and retaining the current workforce, and more. Includes discussion on rural-focused healthcare training.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Hospital Association
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