2026 Research Publications

Browse the full list of research publications from the Rural Health Research Centers.

Products – Freely accessible products include policy briefs, fact sheets, full reports, chartbooks, and interactive data websites.

Journal Articles – Articles in peer-reviewed journals may require a subscription or affiliation with a subscribing library. For these publications, Gateway lists the article citation, a brief summary, a link to additional information and access to the full-text of the article, if available.

Medicare Fee-for-Service Health Care Expenditures Among Rural and Urban Beneficiaries During 2009-2019
Policy Brief
University of South Carolina Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
CMS Medicare Geographic Variation Public Use files, the American Community Survey, and the Area Health Resource files were the data sources for research on whether, and to what extent, rural Medicare beneficiaries used health care differently from their urban counterparts from 2009-2019.
Management of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors by Rural and Urban Primary Care Practices
Policy Brief
Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
This brief compares management of cardiovascular disease risk factors between rural and urban primary care practices, using quality measures, in a large national registry.
Use of Preventive Services by Rurality, Disability Status, and Health Insurance
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
This policy brief examines rates of utilizing two types of preventive care (routine physicals and flu vaccination) by rural-urban location, disability status, and health insurance type.
Indian Health Service and Health Care Affordability Issues Among American Indian/Alaska Native People by Rurality
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
This policy brief examines rural/urban differences in rates of health care affordability and Indian Health Service use among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) people, as well as within rural AI/AN residents.
Rural-Urban Differences in Homebound Status by Health and Functional Limitations
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
Being homebound is associated with poorer health outcomes for older adults. Yet, little is known about how rates of being homebound differ between rural and urban older adults by specific health indicators. This brief addresses that gap.
Transportation for Rural People With Disabilities: Example Programs From Minnesota and Idaho
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
The purpose of this case series is to highlight efforts by organizations serving rural communities to increase access to transportation for individuals with disabilities. These may serve as examples to others considering ways to improve access to transportation for people with disabilities in their rural communities.
Access to Health Care by Rurality and Disability Status
Policy Brief
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
This policy brief examines rates of non-financial and financial access to care barriers by rural-urban location and disability status.
Availability of Hospital-Based Obstetric Services in the United States by County, 2010–2023: A State-by-State Report
Chartbook
Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2026
The purpose of this report is to provide timely national, state, and county-specific information on changes in obstetric care access. The report includes a national overview of hospital-based obstetric services access by county, followed by county-level reports for every U.S. state.