Rural Veterans and Access to Healthcare – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Veterans and Access to Healthcare.
Recommended Language for Veteran Status Screening Question in Health Centers
Provides best practices for how to identify veteran populations during screening at Health Centers. Includes data on percentage and number of veteran patients for selected states. Slide 3 shows the percentage of patients seen in rural versus urban locations.
Author(s): Gina Capra
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Provides best practices for how to identify veteran populations during screening at Health Centers. Includes data on percentage and number of veteran patients for selected states. Slide 3 shows the percentage of patients seen in rural versus urban locations.
Author(s): Gina Capra
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: National Association of Community Health Centers
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Charting a Path to Comprehensive Healthcare for Rural Veterans, with Matt Coleman and James VanCleave
An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Matt Coleman, Director of the Kentucky State Office of Rural Health, and James VanCleave, Rural Project Manager, Veterans Services for the KORH. Focuses on their work helping veterans access services and receive care and benefits from the VA and other providers.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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An episode of the Exploring Rural Health podcast featuring Matt Coleman, Director of the Kentucky State Office of Rural Health, and James VanCleave, Rural Project Manager, Veterans Services for the KORH. Focuses on their work helping veterans access services and receive care and benefits from the VA and other providers.
Date: 10/2024
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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"We Don't Get That Information Right Back to Us Unless It's a Full-Blown Cancer": Challenges Coordinating Lung Cancer Screening Across Healthcare Systems
Discusses how lung cancer screening (LCS) is coordinated across veteran affairs (VA) and non-VA healthcare systems. Analyzes 6 VA medical centers with LCS programs and provides feedback from semi-structured interviews with related LCS program and healthcare professionals. Discusses challenges with LCS coordination across the care continuum, with commentary specific to rural veterans.
Author(s): Rendelle E. Bolton, Eduardo R. Núñez, Jacqueline Boudreau, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 10/2024
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Discusses how lung cancer screening (LCS) is coordinated across veteran affairs (VA) and non-VA healthcare systems. Analyzes 6 VA medical centers with LCS programs and provides feedback from semi-structured interviews with related LCS program and healthcare professionals. Discusses challenges with LCS coordination across the care continuum, with commentary specific to rural veterans.
Author(s): Rendelle E. Bolton, Eduardo R. Núñez, Jacqueline Boudreau, et al.
Citation: Health Services Research
Date: 10/2024
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America's Military and Veteran Caregivers: Hidden Heroes Emerging from the Shadows
Offers a profile of caregivers for military members and veterans. Discusses demographic, physical and mental health, geography, costs, support systems, and more. Includes recommendations for healthcare access, policy, and research based on report findings. Discusses rural throughout and includes an analysis on the differences between rural and urban caregiving in Chapter 7.
Author(s): Rajeev Ramchand, Sarah Dalton, Tamara Dubowitz, et al.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Offers a profile of caregivers for military members and veterans. Discusses demographic, physical and mental health, geography, costs, support systems, and more. Includes recommendations for healthcare access, policy, and research based on report findings. Discusses rural throughout and includes an analysis on the differences between rural and urban caregiving in Chapter 7.
Author(s): Rajeev Ramchand, Sarah Dalton, Tamara Dubowitz, et al.
Date: 09/2024
Sponsoring organization: RAND Corporation
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Training Satisfaction and Future Employment Consideration Among Physician and Nursing Trainees at Rural Veterans Affairs Facilities in the United States During COVID-19: A Time-Series Before and After Study
Presents a study on the perceptions of trainee clinicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the satisfaction they feel towards their training and future employment in rural and urban facilities and compares their answers before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Bases finding on a survey of physicians and nurses in rural and urban areas receiving training in a VA facility and compares responses from August, 2018 to July, 2021.
Author(s): Heather Northcraft, Tiffany Radcliff, Anne Reid Griffin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 21, 25
Date: 09/2024
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Presents a study on the perceptions of trainee clinicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on the satisfaction they feel towards their training and future employment in rural and urban facilities and compares their answers before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Bases finding on a survey of physicians and nurses in rural and urban areas receiving training in a VA facility and compares responses from August, 2018 to July, 2021.
Author(s): Heather Northcraft, Tiffany Radcliff, Anne Reid Griffin, et al.
Citation: Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 21, 25
Date: 09/2024
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Veterans in Focus: Disability and Veterans in Rural America
Fact sheet highlighting 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates related to rural disabled veterans. Includes data on service-connected disability, geography including rural and urban comparisons, and access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare facilities. Discusses opportunities for Centers for Independent Living.
Author(s): Hannah W. Pepprock, Lillie Greiman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Fact sheet highlighting 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates related to rural disabled veterans. Includes data on service-connected disability, geography including rural and urban comparisons, and access to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare facilities. Discusses opportunities for Centers for Independent Living.
Author(s): Hannah W. Pepprock, Lillie Greiman
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: University of Montana: Rural Institute for Inclusive Communities
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Rural Veteran Perception of Healthcare Access in South Carolina and Florida: A Qualitative Study
Presents a study on the perceptions of healthcare access for rural veterans and their families in South Carolina and Florida. Bases findings on interviews with veterans and their spouses on barriers to accessing physical and mental healthcare in their rural communities.
Author(s): Maria Mercedes Rossi, Heidi L. Radunovich, Michelle A. Parisi
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 826
Date: 07/2024
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Presents a study on the perceptions of healthcare access for rural veterans and their families in South Carolina and Florida. Bases findings on interviews with veterans and their spouses on barriers to accessing physical and mental healthcare in their rural communities.
Author(s): Maria Mercedes Rossi, Heidi L. Radunovich, Michelle A. Parisi
Citation: BMC Health Services Research, 24, 826
Date: 07/2024
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Prescription Opioid Tapering Practices and Outcomes at a Rural VA Health Care System
Presents a study on the clinical characteristics of rural veterans using opioids for chronic pain and undergoing opioid tapering. Breaks down data on outcomes from tapering for rural veterans who were taking 90 Morphine Equivalent Daily Dose (MEDD) or more. Highlights common tapering outcomes, such as increased pain, suicidal ideation, and other withdrawal symptoms.
Author(s): Rena Elizabeth Courtney, Emily Halsey, Tanvi Patil, et al.
Citation: Pain Medicine, 25(7), 480-482
Date: 07/2024
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Presents a study on the clinical characteristics of rural veterans using opioids for chronic pain and undergoing opioid tapering. Breaks down data on outcomes from tapering for rural veterans who were taking 90 Morphine Equivalent Daily Dose (MEDD) or more. Highlights common tapering outcomes, such as increased pain, suicidal ideation, and other withdrawal symptoms.
Author(s): Rena Elizabeth Courtney, Emily Halsey, Tanvi Patil, et al.
Citation: Pain Medicine, 25(7), 480-482
Date: 07/2024
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Supporting Direct Acting Antiviral Medication Adherence and Treatment Completion in a Sample of Predominantly Rural Veterans with Hepatitis C and Substance Use Disorders
Explores strategies to improve direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment among rural veterans with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and substance use disorder (SUD). Analyzes a clinic-based intervention that utilizes motivational interviewing (MI) to improve medication adherence among 20 enrolled participants in a 12-week course.
Author(s): Mary Jane Burton, Andrew C. Voluse, Amee B. Patel
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 19, 51
Date: 06/2024
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Explores strategies to improve direct acting antiviral (DAA) treatment among rural veterans with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and substance use disorder (SUD). Analyzes a clinic-based intervention that utilizes motivational interviewing (MI) to improve medication adherence among 20 enrolled participants in a 12-week course.
Author(s): Mary Jane Burton, Andrew C. Voluse, Amee B. Patel
Citation: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 19, 51
Date: 06/2024
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Differences in Use of Veterans Health Administration and Non-VHA Hospitals by Rural and Urban Veterans After Access Expansions
Presents a study on rural and urban differences in acute inpatient care utilization in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA hospitals following expansions to the Veterans Choice Act. Breaks down data by patient characteristics, such as age and sex, among others.
Author(s): Matthew P. Dizon, Kenneth W. Kizer, Michael K. Ong, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 446-456
Date: 06/2024
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Presents a study on rural and urban differences in acute inpatient care utilization in Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and non-VHA hospitals following expansions to the Veterans Choice Act. Breaks down data by patient characteristics, such as age and sex, among others.
Author(s): Matthew P. Dizon, Kenneth W. Kizer, Michael K. Ong, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(3), 446-456
Date: 06/2024
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Last Updated: 6/20/2025