Healthcare Access in Rural Communities – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Healthcare Access in Rural Communities.
Health Care Access from the Rural Perspective: A Narrative Review
Examines rural healthcare access in the dimensions of geographic, temporal, financial, cultural, and virtual. Discusses rural versus urban access challenges and access disparities related to geographic distance and available transportation, broadband internet access and digital literacy, healthcare workforce shortages, and the social determinants of health.
Author(s): Peter Kaboli, Adam Blaine, Jasmine Mares, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70119
Date: 02/2026
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Examines rural healthcare access in the dimensions of geographic, temporal, financial, cultural, and virtual. Discusses rural versus urban access challenges and access disparities related to geographic distance and available transportation, broadband internet access and digital literacy, healthcare workforce shortages, and the social determinants of health.
Author(s): Peter Kaboli, Adam Blaine, Jasmine Mares, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(1), e70119
Date: 02/2026
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Rural Healthcare Challenges Deepen as the Rural Health Transformation Program Ramps Up
Examines the impact of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) program and the ongoing issues of rural hospital closures and financial losses, Medicaid policy, workforce shortages, diminishing access to rural healthcare services, and more. Discusses themes in state RHT applications and how they plan to utilize RHT funding.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Examines the impact of the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) program and the ongoing issues of rural hospital closures and financial losses, Medicaid policy, workforce shortages, diminishing access to rural healthcare services, and more. Discusses themes in state RHT applications and how they plan to utilize RHT funding.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Chartis Center for Rural Health
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Access to Health Care by Rurality and Disability Status
Report explores barriers to access to care by rurality and disability status. Highlights the compounding barriers to access for rural people with disabilities. Discusses barriers due to financial reasons, lack of transportation, and workforce shortages, among other factors.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Ingrid Jacobson, Andrew Abram, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Report explores barriers to access to care by rurality and disability status. Highlights the compounding barriers to access for rural people with disabilities. Discusses barriers due to financial reasons, lack of transportation, and workforce shortages, among other factors.
Author(s): Alexis Swendener, Ingrid Jacobson, Andrew Abram, et al.
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Services in the United States by County, 2010–2023: A State-by-State Report
Provides national, state, and county-specific information on changes in obstetric care access from 2010-2023. Displays county-level maps of changes in hospital-based services availability between 2010-2023, highlighting changes from 2022 to 2023. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural counties.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Provides national, state, and county-specific information on changes in obstetric care access from 2010-2023. Displays county-level maps of changes in hospital-based services availability between 2010-2023, highlighting changes from 2022 to 2023. Features statistics with breakdowns by urban and rural counties.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Kevan O'Hanlon, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Availability of Higher-Level Neonatal Care Services in Rural US Counties, 2010-2022
Policy brief showing changes in availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural counties from 2010 to 2022, and how this availability differs by rural county type. Features statistics with breakdowns by all rural, micropolitan, and noncore areas.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Julia D. Interrante, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief showing changes in availability of higher-level neonatal care in rural counties from 2010 to 2022, and how this availability differs by rural county type. Features statistics with breakdowns by all rural, micropolitan, and noncore areas.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Emily C. Sheffield, Julia D. Interrante, et al.
Date: 12/2025
Sponsoring organization: University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
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Travel Time to Treating Facility and Mortality in Men With Prostate Cancer
Examines the association between longer travel time to treatment and survival among prostate cancer patients. Uses data from a survey of 159,943 patients from Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, and Washington. Features statistics with breakdowns by two levels of population density.
Author(s): Stephan M. Korn, Filippo Dagnino, Danesha Daniels, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(12), e2546812
Date: 12/2025
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Examines the association between longer travel time to treatment and survival among prostate cancer patients. Uses data from a survey of 159,943 patients from Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, and Washington. Features statistics with breakdowns by two levels of population density.
Author(s): Stephan M. Korn, Filippo Dagnino, Danesha Daniels, et al.
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(12), e2546812
Date: 12/2025
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Current and Maximum Acceptable Travel Times to Primary Care Among US Older Adults
Explores the threshold of travel time at which it becomes a barrier to primary care access and for which groups. Uses data from a study conducted in February 2025 of adults age 50 and older. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural or other areas.
Author(s): Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(11), e2545280
Date: 11/2025
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Explores the threshold of travel time at which it becomes a barrier to primary care access and for which groups. Uses data from a study conducted in February 2025 of adults age 50 and older. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by urban, suburban, and rural or other areas.
Author(s): Tabasa Ozawa, Ying Liu, Soeren Mattke
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 8(11), e2545280
Date: 11/2025
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Rural/Urban Differences among American Indian/Alaska Native Peoples in Health Care Access and Outcomes, 2019–2023
Compares health outcomes and healthcare utilization metrics for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) rural and urban residents using 2019-2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Discusses the impact of various sociodemographic factors and the Indian Health Service (IHS) on study findings.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Hailey A. Baker, Julia D. Interrante, Kyle X. Hill, Melissa L. Walls
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 2025
Date: 11/2025
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Compares health outcomes and healthcare utilization metrics for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) rural and urban residents using 2019-2023 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data. Discusses the impact of various sociodemographic factors and the Indian Health Service (IHS) on study findings.
Author(s): Katy Backes Kozhimannil, Hailey A. Baker, Julia D. Interrante, Kyle X. Hill, Melissa L. Walls
Citation: Journal of Community Health, 2025
Date: 11/2025
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Positive Outliers: How Some Rural Communities Maintain Access to Labor and Delivery Services
Explores healthcare providers' approaches to ensuring maternal care access in rural Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi. Provides case studies on the role of rural hospitals and clinics in providing labor and delivery services, discusses financial and logistical challenges faced by providers, and details funding, policy, and service delivery strategies supporting continued access.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Molly Castle Work
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Bassett Research Institute, Commonwealth Fund
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Explores healthcare providers' approaches to ensuring maternal care access in rural Texas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi. Provides case studies on the role of rural hospitals and clinics in providing labor and delivery services, discusses financial and logistical challenges faced by providers, and details funding, policy, and service delivery strategies supporting continued access.
Author(s): Sarah Klein, Molly Castle Work
Date: 10/2025
Sponsoring organizations: Bassett Research Institute, Commonwealth Fund
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Greater Physician Supply Associated with Lower Mortality in Rural Counties: A 23-Year County-Level Longitudinal Observational Study
Examines the relationship between increasing the primary care physician supply in rural areas and corresponding mortality rates. Provides data from a study conducted between 1992-2014 and analyzes rural versus urban trends in mortality rates and physician supply. Discusses rural healthcare practitioner workforce needs, rural versus urban healthcare disparities, and access to care.
Author(s): Nasim B. Ferdows, Cyrus Kosar, Orestis Panagiotou, Momotazur Rahman
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 10/2025
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Examines the relationship between increasing the primary care physician supply in rural areas and corresponding mortality rates. Provides data from a study conducted between 1992-2014 and analyzes rural versus urban trends in mortality rates and physician supply. Discusses rural healthcare practitioner workforce needs, rural versus urban healthcare disparities, and access to care.
Author(s): Nasim B. Ferdows, Cyrus Kosar, Orestis Panagiotou, Momotazur Rahman
Citation: INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing, 62
Date: 10/2025
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