Rural Health
Resources by Type: Document
Developing a Research Agenda to Improve Rural Health Access and Quality in West Virginia
Presents a research agenda to identify health problems, infrastructure issues, and healthcare workforce gaps in rural West Virginia. Discusses interventions to improve access, create policy, and address knowledge and data gaps. Provides county-level maps showing health and social issues across the state.
Author(s): Julia Rollison, Zara Fatima Abdurahaman, Lisa H. Jaycox, Viviana Mercado
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Presents a research agenda to identify health problems, infrastructure issues, and healthcare workforce gaps in rural West Virginia. Discusses interventions to improve access, create policy, and address knowledge and data gaps. Provides county-level maps showing health and social issues across the state.
Author(s): Julia Rollison, Zara Fatima Abdurahaman, Lisa H. Jaycox, Viviana Mercado
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Bone Density Scan (DEXA) Utilization Among Women Without Diagnosed Osteoporosis Aged 50 and Older in the United States, 2022
Statistical brief examining likelihood of having ever received low bone density screening (DEXA) among women aged 50 and older without a diagnosis of osteoporosis. See Figure 7 for a comparison between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Terceira A. Berdahl
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Statistical brief examining likelihood of having ever received low bone density screening (DEXA) among women aged 50 and older without a diagnosis of osteoporosis. See Figure 7 for a comparison between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Terceira A. Berdahl
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Rural Small Businesses in the North Central Region: Workforce Development
Discusses the landscape of rural businesses in the North Central Region (NCR). Provides rural versus urban data on number of employees, staffing shortages, lost sales opportunities, and issues recruiting and retaining employees, including childcare availability, housing affordability, access to healthcare, and more.
Author(s): Renee D. Wiatt
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Discusses the landscape of rural businesses in the North Central Region (NCR). Provides rural versus urban data on number of employees, staffing shortages, lost sales opportunities, and issues recruiting and retaining employees, including childcare availability, housing affordability, access to healthcare, and more.
Author(s): Renee D. Wiatt
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Central Regional Center for Rural Development
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Thriving Communities Transportation Toolkit
A transportation toolkit that provides resources, guidance, and success stories related to transportation and infrastructure projects in rural and tribal communities. Focuses on finding opportunities, building teams, developing a project, financing, and maintaining infrastructure.
Author(s): Shane Hampton
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Main Street America
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A transportation toolkit that provides resources, guidance, and success stories related to transportation and infrastructure projects in rural and tribal communities. Focuses on finding opportunities, building teams, developing a project, financing, and maintaining infrastructure.
Author(s): Shane Hampton
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Main Street America
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2025 West Virginia Health Sciences and Rural Health Report
Review of medical school enrollment, licensing rates, student debt ratios, residency training, and retention rates in West Virginia, with special focus on the Rural Health Initiative Program. Includes dental and pharmacy program profiles, and describes the Medical Student Loan Program and the Health Sciences Service Program, providing financial awards to health professionals who agree to practice in underserved areas of West Virginia.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
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Review of medical school enrollment, licensing rates, student debt ratios, residency training, and retention rates in West Virginia, with special focus on the Rural Health Initiative Program. Includes dental and pharmacy program profiles, and describes the Medical Student Loan Program and the Health Sciences Service Program, providing financial awards to health professionals who agree to practice in underserved areas of West Virginia.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
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Changes in Bed-Based Measures of Surge Capacity from 2018 to 2022 among Rural and Urban Hospitals
Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Policy brief describing how hospitals' inpatient capacity changed from 2018-2022 and examining trade-offs between cost-saving reductions and emergency preparedness. Features statistics on hospitals' average daily census (ADC) and number and percentage of unoccupied beds, with breakdowns by year and urban or rural location.
Author(s): Emma Kerr, Tyler Malone, Mark Holmes
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Do Changes in Hospital Ownership Affect Staffing?
Findings brief examining whether transition from government or nonprofit to for-profit hospital ownership is associated with changes in staffing levels in rural hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 CMS Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) data.
Author(s): Ayush Manandhar
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Findings brief examining whether transition from government or nonprofit to for-profit hospital ownership is associated with changes in staffing levels in rural hospitals. Utilizes 2011-2023 CMS Healthcare Cost Reporting Information System (HCRIS) data.
Author(s): Ayush Manandhar
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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Analysis of the Rural Health Transformation Program
Examines the Rural Health Transportation Program's (RHTP) impacts on rural health funding by state characteristics. Includes data on factors including funding provided per rural inhabitant by state-level rural mortality rate, rural population, estimated loss of funding resulting from Medicaid spending reductions, and more.
Author(s): Paula Chatterjee, Rachel M. Werner
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
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Examines the Rural Health Transportation Program's (RHTP) impacts on rural health funding by state characteristics. Includes data on factors including funding provided per rural inhabitant by state-level rural mortality rate, rural population, estimated loss of funding resulting from Medicaid spending reductions, and more.
Author(s): Paula Chatterjee, Rachel M. Werner
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics
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Appalachian Regional Commission Performance & Accountability Report: Fiscal Year 2025
Provides an overview of the Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) projects from 2025 that develop economy, promote education and healthy living, invest in infrastructure, strengthen natural and cultural heritage, and build capacity in the Appalachian region. Includes healthcare-focused discussions about substance use, healthcare grants, healthcare workforce, and more.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Provides an overview of the Appalachian Regional Commission's (ARC) projects from 2025 that develop economy, promote education and healthy living, invest in infrastructure, strengthen natural and cultural heritage, and build capacity in the Appalachian region. Includes healthcare-focused discussions about substance use, healthcare grants, healthcare workforce, and more.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: Appalachian Regional Commission
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Community Healers: How Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority Leads in Health and Wellness
Discusses how the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) addresses the health needs of its community, by integrating Cherokee culture and Western medical care as a way to improve community health. Documents CIHA's work in promoting relationships between federal and state entities and Native Nations.
Author(s): Hailey A. Baker, Mariana Tuttle, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Discusses how the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) addresses the health needs of its community, by integrating Cherokee culture and Western medical care as a way to improve community health. Documents CIHA's work in promoting relationships between federal and state entities and Native Nations.
Author(s): Hailey A. Baker, Mariana Tuttle, Katy Backes Kozhimannil
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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