Rural Health
Research Gateway

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.

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Five Most Recent Publications

  • Housing for Rural Residents Recovering from Substance Use Disorders
    University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 05/2024
    The purpose of this case series is to highlight organizations providing housing for individuals in recovery from substance use disorders in rural communities. These may serve as examples to others considering this work.
  • Differences in Measurement of Operating Margin: An Update
    Policy Brief
    North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center, Rapid Response to Requests for Rural Data Analysis
    Date: 05/2024
    This study uses recent Medicare Cost Report data to compare rural and urban hospitals using the three definitions for operating margin. Researchers assess the distribution and extent of extreme values of operating margin.
  • Medicare Advantage Plan Growth in Rural America: Availability of Supplemental Benefits
    Policy Brief
    RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
    Date: 05/2024
    This policy brief compares availability of Medicare Advantage plans providing supplemental health-related benefits and special supplemental benefits for the chronically ill in metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties.
  • Using the Updated Financial Distress Index to Describe Relative Risk of Hospital Financial Distress
    Policy Brief
    North Carolina Rural Health Research and Policy Analysis Center
    Date: 04/2024
    Using a recent revision of the Financial Distress Index (FDI) model, this study aimed to describe the relative risk of experiencing financial distress for rural hospitals and selected urban hospitals.
  • Non-Urgent Use of Emergency Departments by Rural and Urban Adults
    Policy Brief
    Maine Rural Health Research Center
    Date: 04/2024
    This study provides updated information and addresses gaps in knowledge about rural non-urgent emergency department (ED) use. Understanding the rates of non-urgent ED use among rural adults and the factors associated with this use can inform policy and practice efforts to reduce inappropriate use of EDs in rural communities.