Caitlin Carroll, PhD
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Phone: 612.626.0943
Email: carrollc@umn.edu
Division of Health Policy and Management
University of Minnesota
420 Delaware St SE
MMC 729 Mayo
Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Current Projects - (3)
- Completed Projects - (2)
- Publications - (7)
Current Projects - (3)
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Higher-Level Maternity Care Access in Rural Communities
This project will build on University of Minnesota's dataset on obstetric care access, which now includes an indicator of higher-level neonatal care at U.S. hospitals. We will assess the feasibility and reliability of creating an indicator for higher-level maternal care, based on a previously published algorithm identifying maternal levels of care.
Research center: Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program
Topics: Health services, Healthcare access, Hospitals and clinics, Maternal health
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Monitoring Obstetric Unit Closures and Maintaining County-level Data on Hospital-based Obstetric Care 2010-2025
This project will build on the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center's 2010-2024 dataset on obstetric care access. We will create updated county-level public health data infrastructure with information on hospital-based obstetric care in rural and urban counties, and on the loss of hospital-based obstetric services through 2025.
Research center: Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program
Topics: Health services, Healthcare access, Hospitals and clinics, Maternal health
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Relationship Between Rural Hospital Bypass and Obstetric Unit Closures
This project will assess how often and what type of rural pregnant patients bypass local birth hospitals for obstetric care, and identify bypass patterns that precede obstetric unit closures.
Research center: Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program
Topics: Healthcare financing, Hospitals and clinics, Maternal health
Completed Projects - (2)
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Financial Analysis of Rural Obstetric Care Hospitals
The purpose of this project was to describe the financial stability and hospital longevity of rural and urban hospitals before and after obstetric unit closure. Additionally, we identified financial factors that contribute to decisions around obstetric service provision in rural communities in order to better understand the factors that lead to—or could prevent—obstetric unit closures.
Research center: Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program
Topics: Healthcare access, Healthcare financing, Hospitals and clinics, Maternal health
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Monitoring Obstetric Unit Closures and Maintaining County-level Data on Hospital-based Obstetric Care 2010-2024
This project will add one year of data to our publicly-available dataset on obstetric care access. We will create an updated county-level data resource with information on hospital-based obstetric care in rural and urban counties, 2010-2024, and conduct analyses with these data.
Research center: Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program
Topics: Health services, Healthcare access, Hospitals and clinics, Maternal health
Publications - (7)
2026
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Risk Factors for Loss of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural and Urban Hospitals
Journal Article
Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 09/2026
In this study, researchers used a retrospective cohort design of all U.S. rural and urban hospitals to assess the hospital-level factors associated with obstetric unit loss, and the differences in these factors between rural and urban hospitals. -
State Midwifery Full Practice Authority Policies and Midwife-Attended Births Among Rural and Urban U.S. Residents
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2026
In this paper, using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Nurse Midwives, we examine the role of state-level policy regarding midwifery practice capacity and midwife-attended births for rural and urban residents.
2025
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An Enhanced Method for Identifying Hospital-Based Obstetric Unit Status, Version 2 with Addendum
Rural Maternal Health Data Support and Analysis Program, University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 10/2025
The purpose of this methodology brief is to describe an enhanced method for identifying hospital-based obstetric unit status and for identifying closures of obstetric units. Version two of the methodology was used to identify obstetric care access in the 2010-2023 data resource. -
Obstetric Care Access Declined in Rural and Urban Hospitals Across U.S. States, 2010–22
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 07/2025
This Data Watch piece describes obstetric unit status for every short-term acute care hospital (rural and urban) in all U.S. states.
2024
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Obstetric Care Access at Rural and Urban Hospitals in the United States
Journal Article
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 12/2024
Maternal mortality is on the rise in the U.S., while access to maternal health services continues to decline. This study examines the losses and gains of obstetric care at hospitals in the United States from 2010 to 2022. -
Information for Rural Stakeholders About Access to Maternity and Obstetric Care: A Community-Relevant Synthesis of Research
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 09/2024
This document aims to inform rural stakeholders about challenges related to access to and quality of hospital-based childbirth care in rural U.S. communities.
2022
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An Enhanced Method for Identifying Hospital-Based Obstetric Unit Status
University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
Date: 01/2022
The purpose of this methodology brief is to describe an enhanced method for identifying hospital-based obstetric unit status and for identifying closures of obstetric units.