Healthcare Access in Rural Communities – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Healthcare Access in Rural Communities.
Medicaid's Role in Small Towns and Rural Areas
Discusses the roles Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) play in providing health coverage to residents of small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) on the percentage of children, non-elderly adults, and older adults covered by Medicaid and CHIP in 2023, and compares the share of Medicaid coverage of these groups by metro areas and small town/rural residence. Describes Medicaid coverage of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) in metro and nonmetro areas. Includes lists of the top 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of children, non-elderly adults, and older adults covered by Medicaid.
Author(s): Joan Alker, Aubrianna Osorio, Edwin Park
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Discusses the roles Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) play in providing health coverage to residents of small towns and rural areas. Presents data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) on the percentage of children, non-elderly adults, and older adults covered by Medicaid and CHIP in 2023, and compares the share of Medicaid coverage of these groups by metro areas and small town/rural residence. Describes Medicaid coverage of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) in metro and nonmetro areas. Includes lists of the top 20 small towns and rural areas with the highest share of children, non-elderly adults, and older adults covered by Medicaid.
Author(s): Joan Alker, Aubrianna Osorio, Edwin Park
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
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Medical Debt and Its Impact on Rural Patients and Providers, with Carrie Henning-Smith
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carrie Henning-Smith, Co-Director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on the prevalence of and difficulties caused by medical debt for both rural patients and providers.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Carrie Henning-Smith, Co-Director of the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center. Focuses on the prevalence of and difficulties caused by medical debt for both rural patients and providers.
Date: 01/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Travel Burden and Bypassing Closest Site for Surgical Cancer Treatment for Urban and Rural Oncology Patients
Examines travel burden to surgical cancer care and its relationship to rurality, bypassing of the nearest surgical site, and mortality rates. Analyzes 2016-218 data of 211,025 Medicare beneficiaries with cancer and includes breakdowns for type of cancer, surgery versus no surgery, patient demographics, patient health conditions, travel time, mortality rates, and location of metro, micro, or small town/rural.
Author(s): Tracy Onega, Niveditta Ramkumar, Gabriel A. Brooks, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Examines travel burden to surgical cancer care and its relationship to rurality, bypassing of the nearest surgical site, and mortality rates. Analyzes 2016-218 data of 211,025 Medicare beneficiaries with cancer and includes breakdowns for type of cancer, surgery versus no surgery, patient demographics, patient health conditions, travel time, mortality rates, and location of metro, micro, or small town/rural.
Author(s): Tracy Onega, Niveditta Ramkumar, Gabriel A. Brooks, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(2)
Date: 2025
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Drive Time to Care and Retention in HIV Care: Rural–Urban Differences Among Medicaid Enrollees in the United States South
Presents a study on the role geography plays in HIV care retention and maintenance. Draws data from Medicaid enrollees in 13 southern states including the District of Columbia and compares patient drive times to care in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by county social determinants of health, healthcare supply, and HIV prevalence, as well as patient characteristics.
Author(s): April D. Kimmel, Rose S. Bono, Zhongzhe Pan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12877
Date: 2025
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Presents a study on the role geography plays in HIV care retention and maintenance. Draws data from Medicaid enrollees in 13 southern states including the District of Columbia and compares patient drive times to care in rural and urban areas. Breaks down data by county social determinants of health, healthcare supply, and HIV prevalence, as well as patient characteristics.
Author(s): April D. Kimmel, Rose S. Bono, Zhongzhe Pan, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12877
Date: 2025
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Health Care Access Barriers Among Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Populations of Eight Geographically Diverse States, 2018
Reports on healthcare access and demographic differences in metro and nonmetro populations. Utilizes Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to observe differences in noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan sociodemographics and access barriers such as insurance, cost, non-financial delays in care, and more.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Radhika Ranganathan, Jan M. Eberth
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12855
Date: 2025
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Reports on healthcare access and demographic differences in metro and nonmetro populations. Utilizes Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to observe differences in noncore, micropolitan, and metropolitan sociodemographics and access barriers such as insurance, cost, non-financial delays in care, and more.
Author(s): Whitney E. Zahnd, Peiyin Hung, Elizabeth L. Crouch, Radhika Ranganathan, Jan M. Eberth
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 41(1), e12855
Date: 2025
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Access to Health Care in Rural America: Current Trends and Key Challenges
Highlights patterns in insurance coverage and uninsurance rates in rural and urban areas, explores non-financial challenges in accessing care faced by rural residents, and describes disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural areas. Features statistics on number of uninsured rural non-elderly adults by state, in 2010 and 2023.
Author(s): Gina Turrini, Eden Volkov, Christie Peters, Nancy De Lew, Thomas Buchmueller
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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Highlights patterns in insurance coverage and uninsurance rates in rural and urban areas, explores non-financial challenges in accessing care faced by rural residents, and describes disparities in health outcomes between urban and rural areas. Features statistics on number of uninsured rural non-elderly adults by state, in 2010 and 2023.
Author(s): Gina Turrini, Eden Volkov, Christie Peters, Nancy De Lew, Thomas Buchmueller
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
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'A Silent, Unmet Need': Rural Motherhood and the Challenges of Postpartum Care
Discusses the importance of rural access to postpartum care, including perinatal mental healthcare. Features programs in Montana, Maine, and Alaska that are providing support to rural mothers via postpartum doulas, telehealth, and home visiting.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Discusses the importance of rural access to postpartum care, including perinatal mental healthcare. Features programs in Montana, Maine, and Alaska that are providing support to rural mothers via postpartum doulas, telehealth, and home visiting.
Author(s): Gretel Kauffman
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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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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