Rural Healthcare Workforce – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Healthcare Workforce.
State Strategies to Support the Future of the Primary Care Physician and Nursing Workforce
Discusses primary care physician and nursing workforce challenges, including the shortage of these providers in rural and underserved areas. Describes policies and strategies implemented by states to address these challenges. Offers resources for states, health systems, and academic institutions exploring innovative strategies to address healthcare workforce challenges.
Author(s): Elaine Chhean, Anita Cardwell, Lauren Block, Sarah Tocher
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Discusses primary care physician and nursing workforce challenges, including the shortage of these providers in rural and underserved areas. Describes policies and strategies implemented by states to address these challenges. Offers resources for states, health systems, and academic institutions exploring innovative strategies to address healthcare workforce challenges.
Author(s): Elaine Chhean, Anita Cardwell, Lauren Block, Sarah Tocher
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: National Academy for State Health Policy
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Health Care Access in the Heartland: How to Improve Services in Rural America
Outlines strategies policymakers and community leaders in rural America can use to improve healthcare access and services. Combines data analysis of county demographics and health data with focus groups in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Provides expert interviews to better understand healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Darren Chapman, Angie Cooper, Elizabeth Dombowsky, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Heartland Forward
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Outlines strategies policymakers and community leaders in rural America can use to improve healthcare access and services. Combines data analysis of county demographics and health data with focus groups in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Provides expert interviews to better understand healthcare access in rural communities.
Author(s): Darren Chapman, Angie Cooper, Elizabeth Dombowsky, et al.
Date: 12/2022
Sponsoring organization: Heartland Forward
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Who Will Care for Rural Older Adults? Measuring the Direct Care Workforce in Rural Areas
Policy brief examining existing disparities in the supply of home health aides and nursing assistants in rural areas compared to urban areas. Features statistics on the ratio of home health aides and nursing assistants relative to the population of adults age 65 and above, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas and by census region.
Author(s): Janette Dill, Carrie Henning-Smith, Rongxuan Zhu, Elizabeth Vomacka
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief examining existing disparities in the supply of home health aides and nursing assistants in rural areas compared to urban areas. Features statistics on the ratio of home health aides and nursing assistants relative to the population of adults age 65 and above, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas and by census region.
Author(s): Janette Dill, Carrie Henning-Smith, Rongxuan Zhu, Elizabeth Vomacka
Date: 11/2022
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Behavioral Health: Available Workforce Information and Federal Actions to Help Recruit and Retain Providers
Examines the available information on the behavioral health workforce, including federal data on the number of providers nationwide and the projection of the supply and demand for behavioral health providers in 2030. Identifies key barriers to recruiting and retaining behavioral health providers, as well as actions federal agencies have taken to support recruiting and retaining these providers. Outlines federal loan repayment, scholarship, and training programs designed to address workforce challenges in rural and other underserved areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Examines the available information on the behavioral health workforce, including federal data on the number of providers nationwide and the projection of the supply and demand for behavioral health providers in 2030. Identifies key barriers to recruiting and retaining behavioral health providers, as well as actions federal agencies have taken to support recruiting and retaining these providers. Outlines federal loan repayment, scholarship, and training programs designed to address workforce challenges in rural and other underserved areas.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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Changes in the Supply and Rural-Urban Distribution of Social Workers in the U.S., 2014-2021
Describes the distribution of social workers in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in social workers per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 2014-2021.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the distribution of social workers in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in social workers per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 2014-2021.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Changes in the Supply and Rural-Urban Distribution of Psychiatrists in the U.S., 1995-2019
Describes the distribution of psychiatrists in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in psychiatrists per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 1995-2019.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the distribution of psychiatrists in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in psychiatrists per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 1995-2019.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Changes in the Supply and Rural-Urban Distribution of Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners in the U.S., 2014-2021
Describes the distribution of psychiatric nurse practitioners in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in psychiatric nurse practitioners per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 2014-2021.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the distribution of psychiatric nurse practitioners in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in psychiatric nurse practitioners per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 2014-2021.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Personal Care Aides: Assessing Self-Care Needs And Worker Shortages In Rural Areas
Results of a study addressing the need for and supply of workers to provide personal care services in rural communities. Features statistics on characteristics of personal care aides employed during 2013-2017 with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and county-level maps showing percentages of adults with self-care disabilities and supply of personal care aides per 1,000 adults with self-care disabilities.
Author(s): Susan A. Chapman, Lillie Greiman, Timothy Bates et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 41(10)
Date: 10/2022
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Results of a study addressing the need for and supply of workers to provide personal care services in rural communities. Features statistics on characteristics of personal care aides employed during 2013-2017 with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and county-level maps showing percentages of adults with self-care disabilities and supply of personal care aides per 1,000 adults with self-care disabilities.
Author(s): Susan A. Chapman, Lillie Greiman, Timothy Bates et al.
Citation: Health Affairs, 41(10)
Date: 10/2022
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Changes in the Supply and Rural-Urban Distribution of Counselors in the U.S., 2014-2021
Describes the distribution of various types of counselors in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in counselors per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 2014-2021.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Describes the distribution of various types of counselors in U.S. counties by rural or urban location and census division. Features statistics with breakdowns by 6 levels of population density and by year. Includes county-level map showing change in counselors per 100,000 population in rural counties, from 2014-2021.
Author(s): C.H.A. Andrilla, S.C. Woolcock, L.A. Garberson, D.G. Patterson
Date: 10/2022
Sponsoring organization: WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
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Audiology, Medicine, and Pharmacy Interprofessional Preliminary Interviews and Discussions: Improving Hearing Health Care in Rural Alabama
Results of a study to determine the feasibility of interprofessional collaboration among physicians and audiologists and pharmacists and audiologists, to improve access and affordability of hearing health care in rural communities. Based on information from online surveys and virtual discussion groups with 16 family physicians and medicine residents at the University of Alabama and 15 pharmacists who worked in independently owned community pharmacies in Alabama.
Author(s): Emma B. Brothers, Marcia J. Hay-McCutcheon, Peter J. Hughes, M. Louanne Friend
Citation: American Journal of Audiology, 31(3), 656-668
Date: 09/2022
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Results of a study to determine the feasibility of interprofessional collaboration among physicians and audiologists and pharmacists and audiologists, to improve access and affordability of hearing health care in rural communities. Based on information from online surveys and virtual discussion groups with 16 family physicians and medicine residents at the University of Alabama and 15 pharmacists who worked in independently owned community pharmacies in Alabama.
Author(s): Emma B. Brothers, Marcia J. Hay-McCutcheon, Peter J. Hughes, M. Louanne Friend
Citation: American Journal of Audiology, 31(3), 656-668
Date: 09/2022
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Last Updated: 10/13/2025