Healthcare Access in Rural Communities – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Healthcare Access in Rural Communities.
The Intersection of Travel Burdens and Financial Hardship in Cancer Care: A Scoping Review
Examines the relationship among rurality, access to cancer care, travel burdens, and financial hardship. Identifies 95 studies published since 1995 related to cancer-related travel and financial burdens and discusses the impact on patient health outcomes and quality of life.
Author(s): Arrianna Marie Planey, Lisa P. Spees, Caitlin B. Biddell, et al.
Citation: JNCI Cancer Spectrum, 8(5)
Date: 10/2024
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Examines the relationship among rurality, access to cancer care, travel burdens, and financial hardship. Identifies 95 studies published since 1995 related to cancer-related travel and financial burdens and discusses the impact on patient health outcomes and quality of life.
Author(s): Arrianna Marie Planey, Lisa P. Spees, Caitlin B. Biddell, et al.
Citation: JNCI Cancer Spectrum, 8(5)
Date: 10/2024
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Improving Care and Accessibility for Rural Patients with Disabilities
Provides an overview of barriers to healthcare access for rural patients with disabilities. Shares insights from a public health department in Montana and a disability and health program in New Hampshire on how to improve accessibility and communication with patients with disabilities.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Provides an overview of barriers to healthcare access for rural patients with disabilities. Shares insights from a public health department in Montana and a disability and health program in New Hampshire on how to improve accessibility and communication with patients with disabilities.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Nowhere to Go: Maternity Care Deserts Across the U.S. 2024
Explores maternal healthcare access and provides county-level U.S. maps that show maternity care deserts, hospitals that offer obstetric (OB) care, distribution of OB providers, travel time to maternity care, chronic conditions of birthing people, social drivers of health, and more. Includes rural versus urban characteristics of the maternal health workforce as well as access and policy discussions specific to rural areas.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: March of Dimes
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Explores maternal healthcare access and provides county-level U.S. maps that show maternity care deserts, hospitals that offer obstetric (OB) care, distribution of OB providers, travel time to maternity care, chronic conditions of birthing people, social drivers of health, and more. Includes rural versus urban characteristics of the maternal health workforce as well as access and policy discussions specific to rural areas.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: March of Dimes
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Is Access to Optimal Concussion Care for Pediatric Athletes Limited by Geography?
Examines access to optimal concussion care for pediatric patients in metro and rural areas of the United States. Analyzes internet searches written as "concussion care near me" originating from one rural area and one metro area in each state to observe distance to care, if available clinic treats pediatric patients, and if care allows for self-referral and/or is multidisciplinary. Includes data from select states and representative regions across the country.
Author(s): Ryan Powers, Robert Trevino, Holly Erpenbach, Danny Thomas
Citation: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 34(5), 425-429
Date: 09/2024
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Examines access to optimal concussion care for pediatric patients in metro and rural areas of the United States. Analyzes internet searches written as "concussion care near me" originating from one rural area and one metro area in each state to observe distance to care, if available clinic treats pediatric patients, and if care allows for self-referral and/or is multidisciplinary. Includes data from select states and representative regions across the country.
Author(s): Ryan Powers, Robert Trevino, Holly Erpenbach, Danny Thomas
Citation: Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 34(5), 425-429
Date: 09/2024
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Use of Telehealth to Improve Healthcare Access and Outcomes in Surgical Oncology
Explores the role of telehealth in improving healthcare access and outcomes in surgical oncology. Discusses geographic barriers to surgical oncology interventions how telehealth can help mitigate barriers to access. Highlights strategies to improve telehealth access and adoption.
Author(s): Elliot A. Asare, Lauren Cowan, Tracy Onega
Citation: Journal of Surgical Oncology
Date: 08/2024
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Explores the role of telehealth in improving healthcare access and outcomes in surgical oncology. Discusses geographic barriers to surgical oncology interventions how telehealth can help mitigate barriers to access. Highlights strategies to improve telehealth access and adoption.
Author(s): Elliot A. Asare, Lauren Cowan, Tracy Onega
Citation: Journal of Surgical Oncology
Date: 08/2024
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Sociodemographic Differences in Nonfinancial Access Barriers to Health Care Among Adults: United States, 2022
Examines nonfinancial reasons adults delay medical care, such as work or other time commitments, lack of available appointments, not having access to clinic or provider hours, difficulty finding provider match for insurance, and length of time to get to provider's office. Utilizes 2022 National Health Interview Survey to break down healthcare access barriers according to sex, age, race/ethnicity, family income, education, employment, insurance status, and urbanization level, including large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan.
Author(s): Amanda E. Ng, Dzifa Adjaye-Gbewonyo, James M. Dahlhamer
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Examines nonfinancial reasons adults delay medical care, such as work or other time commitments, lack of available appointments, not having access to clinic or provider hours, difficulty finding provider match for insurance, and length of time to get to provider's office. Utilizes 2022 National Health Interview Survey to break down healthcare access barriers according to sex, age, race/ethnicity, family income, education, employment, insurance status, and urbanization level, including large central metropolitan, large fringe metropolitan, medium and small metropolitan, or nonmetropolitan.
Author(s): Amanda E. Ng, Dzifa Adjaye-Gbewonyo, James M. Dahlhamer
Date: 08/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Geographic Variation in Shortfalls of Dementia Specialists in the United States
Reports on distribution of dementia specialists to identify potential dementia care shortage areas for the older adult population. Discusses the impact on rural residents.
Author(s): Jodi L. Liu, Lawrence Baker, Annie Yu-An Chen, Jue (Jessie) Wang
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(7)
Date: 07/2024
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Reports on distribution of dementia specialists to identify potential dementia care shortage areas for the older adult population. Discusses the impact on rural residents.
Author(s): Jodi L. Liu, Lawrence Baker, Annie Yu-An Chen, Jue (Jessie) Wang
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 2(7)
Date: 07/2024
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Disruptors, Essential Services, and Reflections on a Career in Rural Health, with John Supplitt
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring John Supplitt, Senior Director of Rural Health Services for the American Hospital Association. Focuses on the importance of maintaining rural essential services, along with insights from Supplitt's long career in rural health.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring John Supplitt, Senior Director of Rural Health Services for the American Hospital Association. Focuses on the importance of maintaining rural essential services, along with insights from Supplitt's long career in rural health.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps Meeting Agenda, June 25-26, 2024
Agenda and meeting materials for the June 25-26, 2024 meeting, including workgroup reports and presentations on school mental health resource and training centers, school-based health centers in greater Cincinnati, and integration of behavioral health services in school-based primary care clinics.
Additional links: Integration of Behavioral Health Services in School-Based Primary Care Clinics, Meet Your School Mental Health Resource & Training Center, School-Based Health Centers In Greater Cincinnati
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps
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Agenda and meeting materials for the June 25-26, 2024 meeting, including workgroup reports and presentations on school mental health resource and training centers, school-based health centers in greater Cincinnati, and integration of behavioral health services in school-based primary care clinics.
Additional links: Integration of Behavioral Health Services in School-Based Primary Care Clinics, Meet Your School Mental Health Resource & Training Center, School-Based Health Centers In Greater Cincinnati
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Advisory Council on the National Health Service Corps
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Distance as an Obstacle to Clinical Trial Access: Who Is Affected and Why It Matters
Evaluates factors associated with geographic remoteness of 60 miles or more from the nearest phase 2 or 3 clinical trial for a variety of health conditions. Discusses American Indian reservations and rural areas, and provides data on demographic factors associated with remoteness including race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and poverty. Includes a county-level interactive map of clinical trial remoteness for health conditions including cancers, substance use disorder, diabetes, obesity, COPD, stroke, and more. Requires the creation of a free account to view.
Author(s): Andrew Friedson, Bumyang Kim, Maggie Switek, Lawson Mansell
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: The Milken Institute
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Evaluates factors associated with geographic remoteness of 60 miles or more from the nearest phase 2 or 3 clinical trial for a variety of health conditions. Discusses American Indian reservations and rural areas, and provides data on demographic factors associated with remoteness including race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and poverty. Includes a county-level interactive map of clinical trial remoteness for health conditions including cancers, substance use disorder, diabetes, obesity, COPD, stroke, and more. Requires the creation of a free account to view.
Author(s): Andrew Friedson, Bumyang Kim, Maggie Switek, Lawson Mansell
Date: 06/2024
Sponsoring organization: The Milken Institute
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Last Updated: 10/2/2025