Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Annual Report to the Congress of the United States on Sanitation Deficiency Levels for Indian Homes and Communities: Fiscal Year 2025
Reports on sanitation deficiencies in tribal communities and describes efforts and priorities of the Indian Health Service to improve tribal water, sewer, and solid waste infrastructure. Includes data on estimated costs to address sanitation deficiencies, estimated health impacts, and healthcare costs avoided by infrastructure investment.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Reports on sanitation deficiencies in tribal communities and describes efforts and priorities of the Indian Health Service to improve tribal water, sewer, and solid waste infrastructure. Includes data on estimated costs to address sanitation deficiencies, estimated health impacts, and healthcare costs avoided by infrastructure investment.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Indian Health Service
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Physical Activity and Perceptions of the Community Walking Environment Among Cancer Survivors, National Health Interview Survey, 2024
Examines how physical activity among cancer survivors differs by clinical and demographic characteristics and by perceptions of the local walking environment, using 2024 National Health Interview Survey data. See Table 2 for data on leisure-time physical activity among cancer survivors by rurality, among other factors.
Author(s): Jonathan Bryant-Genevier, Michael Boring, Elizabeth A. Rohan, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23, 260220
Date: 10/2026
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Examines how physical activity among cancer survivors differs by clinical and demographic characteristics and by perceptions of the local walking environment, using 2024 National Health Interview Survey data. See Table 2 for data on leisure-time physical activity among cancer survivors by rurality, among other factors.
Author(s): Jonathan Bryant-Genevier, Michael Boring, Elizabeth A. Rohan, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23, 260220
Date: 10/2026
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Oklahoma Rural Health Transformation Program Legislative Quarterly Report: Q3 July 1 - Sept. 30, 2026
Provides a brief overview of the 29 programs that comprise Oklahoma's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), including budget allocation, obligated funds, and implementation status through September 30, 2026. Includes highlights of activities conducted with RHTP funding between July 1 - September 30, 2026.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State Department of Health
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Provides a brief overview of the 29 programs that comprise Oklahoma's Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), including budget allocation, obligated funds, and implementation status through September 30, 2026. Includes highlights of activities conducted with RHTP funding between July 1 - September 30, 2026.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Oklahoma State Department of Health
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Defining Mental Disorder: Differences in Primary Care Providers' and Psychiatrists' Conceptions of Illness
Compares how primary care providers (PCPs) and psychiatrists define and treat mental disorders in their patients. Uses interview data from 41 PCPs and 41 psychiatrists regarding their descriptions of patients with mental health concerns, the ease or difficulty of diagnosing and treating patients, referrals and access to mental health services, and more. Includes perspectives from rural PCPs and psychiatrists.
Author(s): Skye A. Miner, Joshua Breslau, Charles Engel, Stacey Yi, Luke J. Matthews
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine
Date: 10/2026
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Compares how primary care providers (PCPs) and psychiatrists define and treat mental disorders in their patients. Uses interview data from 41 PCPs and 41 psychiatrists regarding their descriptions of patients with mental health concerns, the ease or difficulty of diagnosing and treating patients, referrals and access to mental health services, and more. Includes perspectives from rural PCPs and psychiatrists.
Author(s): Skye A. Miner, Joshua Breslau, Charles Engel, Stacey Yi, Luke J. Matthews
Citation: Journal of General Internal Medicine
Date: 10/2026
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Hospice Visit Patterns Across Patient Demographic and Clinical Characteristics
Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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Strategies for Addressing California's Rural Behavioral Health Workforce Shortages
Issue brief discussing behavioral health workforce shortages in rural California and identifying state policy and healthcare delivery strategies to support workforce supply and improve behavioral health access in the state. Covers topics including expanded behavioral health availability in primary care settings, use of community health workers and telehealth to expand service availability, workforce development, recruitment and retention, and more. The associated planning guide provides guidance on planning and implementing behavioral health workforce strategies at the community level.
Additional links: Planning Guide
Author(s): Rachel Davis
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Healthforce Center at UCSF
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Issue brief discussing behavioral health workforce shortages in rural California and identifying state policy and healthcare delivery strategies to support workforce supply and improve behavioral health access in the state. Covers topics including expanded behavioral health availability in primary care settings, use of community health workers and telehealth to expand service availability, workforce development, recruitment and retention, and more. The associated planning guide provides guidance on planning and implementing behavioral health workforce strategies at the community level.
Additional links: Planning Guide
Author(s): Rachel Davis
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Healthforce Center at UCSF
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Rural Health Transformation Program State Programmatic Snapshots: 2026 Release
Provides an overview of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives and focus areas, as well as policy action commitments outlined in states' applications.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Provides an overview of each state's Rural Health Transformation Program initiatives and focus areas, as well as policy action commitments outlined in states' applications.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Rural Health Transformation Program Planned State Initiatives: Budget Period 1
Presents an overview of initiatives planned by states as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program organized across eight categories: population health, workforce, payment and service models, health system innovation, accessible care, technology, disease prevention and care, and health promotion.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Presents an overview of initiatives planned by states as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program organized across eight categories: population health, workforce, payment and service models, health system innovation, accessible care, technology, disease prevention and care, and health promotion.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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Women's Health in Pennsylvania
Provides information on demographic makeup of Pennsylvania women as of 2025. Includes statistics on number of births in Pennsylvania from 1990-2025 and number of breast cancer diagnoses in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas. Also features a county-level map with fertility rates from 2021-2025.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Provides information on demographic makeup of Pennsylvania women as of 2025. Includes statistics on number of births in Pennsylvania from 1990-2025 and number of breast cancer diagnoses in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas. Also features a county-level map with fertility rates from 2021-2025.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Food Hardship and Nutrition Insecurity in Rural Areas with Access to Non-Congregate Summer Meals
Examines food insecurity, food hardship, and nutrition insecurity in rural communities with access to the 2025 non-congregate summer meals option (SUN Meals To-Go). Provides data on household food hardship by income levels, nutrition insecurity by income levels, and barriers to nutrition security.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, No Kid Hungry
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Examines food insecurity, food hardship, and nutrition insecurity in rural communities with access to the 2025 non-congregate summer meals option (SUN Meals To-Go). Provides data on household food hardship by income levels, nutrition insecurity by income levels, and barriers to nutrition security.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, No Kid Hungry
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