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

• A Rural-Urban Analysis of Buprenorphine Therapy During and After Pregnancy Among the Commercially Insured
  Policy Brief
  ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 01/2025
  This analysis describes the frequency of markers of evidence-based prescribing of buprenorphine-containing medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder during and surrounding pregnancy in rural and non-rural settings among commercially insured people ages 15-44.
• Examining Differences in Rural and Urban Medicare FFS Beneficiaries' Emergency Department Use Before and During Covid
  Policy Brief
  ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 01/2025
  The brief examines changes in emergency department (ED) use among rural and urban Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings included a moderate increase in rural ED use, higher mortality and inpatient admissions, and decreased use among dual-eligible beneficiaries.
• Evaluating Medicare Advantage Benchmark Setting Methodology on Rural Counties
  Policy Brief
  RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
  Date: 01/2025
  This brief explores how the process for setting benchmark payments for Medicare Advantage plans may create different incentives across rural and urban counties.
• Resources for Measuring Rurality in Research on Maternity Care
  University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 01/2025
  The primary objective of this brief is to explore the complexities inherent in defining rurality in maternal health research. In addition, this brief aims to provide insights into how different measures of rurality influence research outcomes, with the goal of informing best practices in maternal health research.
• Rural-Urban Differences in PACE Organization and Enrollee Characteristics
  Policy Brief
  University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center
  Date: 01/2025
  The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) operates in most states and many rural areas. This brief addresses how PACE enrollee characteristics vary between rural and urban areas.