Rural Health
Research Gateway

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.

  • Methamphetamine Use, Mental Health Comorbidities, and Treatment in Rural and Urban Areas
    Policy Brief
    WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 02/2026
    This policy brief examines the urban vs. rural and regional differences in the rates of methamphetamine use, polysubstance use (methamphetamine use with alcohol and opioids), IV methamphetamine use, mental health comorbidities, and receipt of treatment by individuals using methamphetamine, in a representative nationwide sample.
  • Usual Source of Care for Rural Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries in 2021
    Policy Brief
    North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
    Date: 02/2026
    This brief explains where rural Medicare fee-for-service patients usually go for routine care and which groups struggle to find a regular provider. Its purpose is to help policymakers understand access gaps so they can strengthen rural health care and reduce barriers.
  • Rural-Urban Differences in Dental Care Utilization After a Public Health Emergency
    Policy Brief
    Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
    Date: 02/2026
    This study utilized Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to examine dental care utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The pandemic significantly reduced overall dental health care utilization for both rural and urban populations. However, the rural population experienced increased odds of delayed dental service utilization.
  • Rural-based Accountable Care Organizations Agreement Renewal
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2026
    This policy brief describes characteristics of Accountable Care Organizations participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) and compares trends in exits and entries into MSSP between nonmetropolitan (rural) and metropolitan (urban) geographies from 2013 through 2022.
  • A Comparison of Independent and System-Affiliated Rural Hospitals
    Policy Brief
    North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 02/2026
    This brief examines how independent and system affiliated rural hospitals differ across organizational structure, financial performance, community context, and financial distress risk, using the most recent national data to inform policymakers, researchers, and rural health stakeholders.
  • Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Medicare Shared Savings Program Assigned Beneficiaries Among Original Medicare Enrollees
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 02/2026
    Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan are not eligible for attribution to a Medicare Share Savings Plan Accountable Care Organization (ACO). This data report examines the impact of a growing MA population on the pool of beneficiaries eligible for ACO attribution.
  • Fixed-to-Total Cost Ratio Is Predictive of Rural Hospital Financial Distress and Closures
    Journal Article
    North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
    Date: 01/2026
    This study examines how cost structure affects rural hospital financial viability. The findings indicate that heavy fixed cost burdens limit rural hospitals' ability to respond to declining volumes, making cost structure a key indicator of vulnerability and a useful metric for informing rural payment and policy interventions.
  • 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.