Rural Health
Research Gateway

Rural and Underserved Health Research Center

Current Projects

  • Changes in Access to Care During the Public Health Emergency: Examining Rural-Urban Disparities by Insurance Type
    Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, this study will compare key access to care indicators among adult beneficiaries residing in rural and urban areas before and after the Public Health Emergency by types of health insurance. Researchers will explore state-level policy variations, such as the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion and COVID-19-related Medicaid coverage for uninsured adults.
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Healthcare access, Healthcare financing, Medicaid and CHIP, Uninsured and underinsured
  • Disparities in Screening, Prevention, and Management of Cardiovascular Disease in Rural and Urban Primary Care
    This study will use a large national primary care registry to compare cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening, prevention, and management quality measures between rural and urban primary care practices. It will also assess for disparities by patient composition (race/ethnicity, insurance) of the practice.
    Topics: Care management, Chronic diseases and conditions, Health disparities and health equity, Health promotion and disease prevention, Health services, Minority health, Physicians, Quality
  • Evaluating the Impact of Inflation Reduction Act Provisions on Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Costs
    Using Merative MarketScan data, this study will evaluate changes in the affordability of prescription drugs for urban and rural Medicare beneficiaries before and after the recent Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The primary outcome will be an assessment of whether the IRA succeeded in reducing costs and identifying any remaining health disparities.
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Healthcare financing, Medicare Advantage (MA), Pharmacy and prescription drugs
  • Impact of High Deductible Health Plans on Rural Populations
    Using data from Merative MarketScan insurance claims, this study will investigate utilization, spending, and care patterns of rural members enrolled in high deductible health plans (HDHP) compared to traditional plans. Trends in health outcomes before and after HDHP growth will be assessed to inform policy design tailored to rural residents.
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Healthcare access, Healthcare financing, Private health insurance, Rural statistics and demographics
  • Review of Current Research on Rural/Urban Differences in Social Determinants of Health
    Social determinants of health are social, economic, and community variables that influence health outcomes. This project will synthesize the extant literature on rural/urban differences in the social determinants of health, culminating in a comprehensive report that includes a summary of information gaps and further research needs.
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Healthcare access, Poverty, Quality, Social determinants of health, Uninsured and underinsured
  • Risky Behaviors and Overdose Deaths Related to Illicit Drug Use
    Using the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this study will investigate rural vs. urban variations in treatment utilization for alcohol use disorder (AUD) and, separately, drug use disorder (DUD). It will yield prevalence estimates of any treatment receipt and sources of treatment among persons with past year AUD and DUD as well as the receipt of medication therapy among those treatable with medications.
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Health services, Healthcare access, Mental and behavioral health, Substance use and treatment
  • Risky Substance Use Among Rural and Urban Adults: An Update
    Very little research has examined rural vs. urban differences in substance misuse and treatment access nationally. Using public and nationally representative data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, this project will: 1) Estimate and compare alcohol use and binge drinking, and 2) Estimate and compare drug use (marijuana, other illicit drugs, and non-medical use of other drugs) between non-metropolitan and metropolitan adults.
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Mental and behavioral health, Substance use and treatment
  • Rural Access to Opioid Treatment Program Clinics and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
    This project will identify all Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and Opioid Treatment Program Clinics in the U.S. and then present the number of rural and urban clinics in each state as frequency tables and map visualizations.
    Topics: Health services, Healthcare access, Mental and behavioral health, Substance use and treatment
  • Rural and Urban Cancer Survivors' Follow-Up Care Experiences
    This project examines rural vs. urban differences in cancer survivors' follow-up care experiences using the 2017 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
    Topics: Cancer, Care management, Health disparities and health equity, Health services, Healthcare access, Physicians, Post-acute care, Quality
  • Rural/Urban Variations in Cancer Screening During the COVID-19 Pandemic
    Using the National Cancer Institute Health Information National Trends Survey, we will examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the receipt of recommended screenings for common cancers. Findings will inform policymakers about potential widening of rural/urban disparities in the receipt of cancer preventive services and the potential need to target these services toward rural residents.
    Topics: Cancer, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Health disparities and health equity, Health promotion and disease prevention, Health services, Healthcare access
  • Third Party Negotiated Pricing in Rural and Urban Hospitals
    We will use third party negotiated pricing information to compare prices in urban and rural hospitals, across a variety of common services. Because there has been poor compliance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirement to publish third party negotiated pricing, we will also examine if the availability of this information differs for rural and urban hospitals.
    Topics: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Healthcare financing, Hospitals and clinics, Medicare, Medicare Prospective Payment System (PPS), Private health insurance
  • Work Settings, Education, and Intent to Leave Practice among Rural vs. Urban Nurses
    Using data from the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey, this project will describe rural/urban differences in nurses' work settings, levels of education and licensure, demographic characteristics, income, and intention to retire or leave practice. Study findings could be applied to implement policies aimed at increasing nursing school output and attracting nurses to practice in rural areas.
    Topics: Health disparities and health equity, Nurses and nurse practitioners, Workforce